


Trials of Poseidon

by RavenOutlander



Series: An Orphan Dragon [2]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Dragon Emma, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Greek Mythology - Freeform, Hurt/Comfort, Mentions of Rape, Slow Build Belle/Red Riding Hood | Ruby, Slow Build Marian/Mulan (Once Upon A Time), Swan-Mills Family, Swan-Mills Family Fluff, Time Travel, just in case, magic baby, mentions of abuse, nothing explicit though, rape trigger warning for first chapter, trigger warning
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-01
Updated: 2019-12-14
Packaged: 2019-12-30 09:01:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 9
Words: 35,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18312446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RavenOutlander/pseuds/RavenOutlander
Summary: The sequel to the thrilling book,Chronicles of Eris, and Part II of the seriesAn Orphan Dragon.It’s been two peaceful months of life in Storybrooke and all is well with the world.Emma and Happy face the challenges of parenthood with Henry and Regina right by their side every step of the way. The savior and her queen are well on their way to their happy ending together with their children.However, all is not as it seems. When Emma is summoned to Poseidon’s court everyone’s lives are thrown into disarray.What do Cruella and Ursula want in the quaint Fairy Tale town of Storybrooke, Maine?Can David and Mary Margaret keep their darkest secrets locked away before anyone finds out, especially their loving and trusting daughter?Will Happy ever be able to go a single day without his fish?





	1. I Wasn’t Prepared For Parenthood

**Author's Note:**

> Good morning, dearies.
> 
> The day is finally here and I couldn’t be happier. I really enjoyed writing _Chronicles of Eris_ and I’m having a blast writing the second part.
> 
> Thank you all who have followed the story this far. Please don’t be shy with commentary. Let me know what you think about this new installation.
> 
> Fair warning, Poseidon, like most gods, is a bit of an asshole. If you follow the Greek Mythology as closely as I have you’ll see that most of which I write in this story follows it quite closely.
> 
> Anyways, enjoy!

**_Storybrooke, Swan House—Recent Past_ **

Emma’s eyes fluttered open amidst the dark corridor as her body rose of its own accord. The unsettling familiar feeling of the area filled her with fear and uncertainty; draining the energy from her bones as a parasite would drain the blood from her veins. She couldn’t see clearly, even with her keen eyesight, but she could faintly make out the doorway that waited for her at the far end of the hall.

A blue light emitted from underneath the doorway. It called out to Emma, but she remained motionless with what she could only comprehend as fear.

_Beast of flame and ash,_  
_Gold drunk monster,_  
_As beautiful as you are strange_  
_Selfish and filled with greed, you are..._

The voice rang out into Emma’s ears and it made them throb painfully. The words was more catastrophic, however, causing Emma to close her eyes in desperation to try and wake up from whatever nightmare she must have stumbled upon.

She began to move down the corridor, towards the glowing light as she gulped down the bile that rose in her throat.

_Feast upon the flesh of your loved ones_  
_For you know that you can not protect them_

_Destruction follows you where you go_  
_And all you love with be reduced to just that._

_Death and destruction._

_That is the curse of your kind._  
_A burden that only you can carry._

Emma wanted to cry out; yell at the voice to just “Shut. Up.", but her voice was incapable of functioning. No matter how hard she tried to scream or at least whisper _something_ there wouldn’t even be a peep that escaped her.

That’s when she heard it. If not for her keen ears, she would have missed it; a cry for her. Her name echoing above the chaos of her mind and shaking the very corridor that she resided in.

In an instant, Emma jerked awake in her hammock; back in her and Happy’s room. The exceed was flying next to her bed, a look of concern crossing his feline features. It was clear even in the darkness of the room; the moon their only source of light.

It made her feel guilty, seeing her friend so upset over her well being. She was a foster child with many of terrible memories to haunt her at night, and Happy would always be there to comfort her during each one. At times it felt as though he was the parent in their relationship rather than she his. 

‘That dream again?’ Happy questioned, already aware of that which troubled his companion; a dream which had been troubling her for the past two weeks. ‘You were mumbling again. Worried about the kids and Regina, too. Like something was going to hurt them.’

‘Yeah,’ sighed the dragon, glancing away in shame as she leaned back on the hammock. ‘The same damn corridor, the light. Regina didn’t call out to me this time though. There was this... demonic or godly voice spouting some stupid words or a poem.’ 

Coming clean to her companion made her feel even worse. She couldn’t ever lie to him, not ever. That meant she bothered him with far more than he deserved to carry on his shoulders.

Happy clenched his jaw, ‘Do you want me to do a fly by again? Check on the Missus and the kid?’

Since the nightmares started, Emma sent Happy to check on Regina and Henry whenever they didn’t spend the night at the Swan House. It not only set her at ease, but it did wonders for the feline as well. He too seemed to be troubled with what went on inside Emma’s mind.

‘No,’ said Emma, shaking her head. ‘I’m just being paranoid. The dragon in me is just playing tricks again, trying to get me to lose my control and focus.’

The exceed seemed to hesitate, but he didn’t question her orders. Instead, he pressed a soothing paw to her forehead. ‘I’ll check on Senna, whilst you get back to sleep. The baby monitor hasn’t gone off yet, but it’s close to feeding time again.’

Emma sighed, nodding as she brought the back of her hand to her temple. ‘Yeah, okay. Thanks, little buddy.’

Pursing his lips, Happy retracted his paw. ‘We should think about seeing a oneiromancer,’ suggested the exceed firmly. ‘Dreams always have meaning, Em. Especially ones that are repeated and in such great succession.’

The blonde shook her head, ‘I’ll worry Regina and the others. Just leave it be for now and let me stew on the idea of having someone picking around inside my brain.’

‘Okay,’ said Happy. He offered a weak smile and began to fly backwards slowly. ‘Get some sleep, Em.’

**_Storybrooke, Swan House—Present_ **

Two months. 

That’s right. Two months of complete peace over Storybrooke. Not a trace of lingering fissures nor Cyclopses that didn’t have anything better to do with their time than coming after the savior. Both Rumple and Eris was as far as they could get from Storybrooke.

It was nice. Other than the occasional domestic dispute or drunkard—namely Leroy—or the occasional gnome looking for his next child bride, everything had basically gone back to normal.

Well as normal as a hidden fairytale town in Maine could get.

Henry had returned to school as though life threatening situations were apart of the daily routine. Trauma was just apart of the package and the teenager had learned that life was a series of punches that one just needed to roll with. Especially relatives such as baby sisters that seemingly _popped_ out of nowhere.

Mary Margaret had returned to teaching his class and countless other children of Storybrooke. Learning to juggle both work and family was difficult, but at least she didn’t have to figure it out alone. People who loved her supported her every step of the way.

The mayoral position, as it has always belonged to Regina, was simply waiting for the woman when she chose to reclaim her rightful place. Not to mention, her office was eager to the... _changes_ she wanted to make. Starting with the hideous bird painting that none other than her former nemesis had so kindly added to her work space.

The library and pawnshop, never to turn anyone down, eagerly accepted Ruby as an all round employee for her time in Storybrooke. Belle couldn’t simply be the only one trying to solve the debacle with the fae still trapped inside the _Sorcerer’s hat_ and the poor woman could use the company after everything that’s gone on behind closed doors with Rumple.

Mulan joined among the deputy ranks, eager to help assist the Sheriff station with the peaceful town of Storybrooke. David, ever eager to help, began to teach the town’s resident warrior the tools of the trade.

And what about the town’s very own savior and her crime fighting companion, Happy?

_Breath sucked in dramatically._

‘WAGH!’

Well... parenthood hit them rather hard.

A groan escaped both of their lips into the bedroom that they shared, each grabbing a pillow beneath their heads to try and suffocate themselves rather than getting up to fetch the crying demigod.

The dragon and exceed weren’t like the people of Storybrooke.

No, they weren’t used to beds after their time spent on the road.

So, instead of such furniture taking up their room’s space, they had two hammocks that came from two hooks in the wall to one large pole in the middle of the room. The rest of their things were all placed into the closers and cupboards in the wall opposite to that. Anything else either littered the rest of the house as well as the new study that Emma had set up in the next room.

A house on the sea was something that Emma had always envisioned as a kid. To an orphan who spent her entire life in foster care it was the most ideal dream house that she could imagine. So, when she had laid her eyes on the beaut she knew that it would work sufficiently for the time being.

Seeing as she had countless of gold coins just lying around in her pocket dimension, money wasn’t an issue either.

Though, in Emma’s orphan fantasy she never saw herself getting so little sleep. Nor did she ever think that a child of her own would have the lung capacity that hers currently does.

‘Ugh... it’s your turn, Em...’ Happy complained into his pillow. ‘I had the previous shift.’

‘Nah-uh...’ Emma retorted into her own. ‘ _I_ had the midnight shift. It’s _your_ turn, little buddy.’

Unlike her naked friend, Emma didn’t have fur to cover her entire body. Instead, she opted for a tank top and a pair of shorts to sleep in. She could handle the cold winter weather outside, even when most of the Storybrooke residents opted for fires in their fireplaces.

‘It’s _your_ kid,’ Happy tossed back. ‘You made her, so it’s your problem now.’

The dragon scowled as she sat up, removing the pillow from her face so that she could smack her companion out of his hammock.

‘Ow!’

‘It wasn’t just me, knucklehead,’ Emma grumbled as she got to her feet. ‘It takes two, ya know?’

Happy sat up sleepily on the floor, one of his ears turned inside out as his eyes drooped and threatened to close once more.

‘Well, I don’t see Eris bending over backwards to help us with Baby Emma’s feeding schedule,’ scoffed Happy, trying to rub the sleep from his green orbs.

A puff if smoke escaped Emma’s nostrils as she stretched and then proceeded to yawn. Whilst she hated to agree with her companion, but she didn’t particularly have any choice. She and Eris may have made the wailing infant together, but Emma wasn’t going to see a single drop of child support in any form. 

Gods and goddesses abandoned their young for various reasons. One of the main one’s being that they would forsaken their godly duties if they were to start families with mortals. Another being that they actually feared mortals and rarely wished for them to reach adulthood. Though, in this case it wouldn’t make any sense given how much Eris had wanted a child with Emma.

Dragging a tired hand over her face, Emma forced her feet into action to start towards the door. She had rarely slept at all and she couldn’t remember the last decent slumber she’d gotten since this had all started two months ago, but she wouldn’t particularly trade it for anything. Not when she loved the bundle of joy in the nursing room as much as she loved Henry.

And gods did she love that kid.

‘Fine,’ Emma grumbled. ‘ _I_ ’ll get her. You should start on making coffee.’

Happy leapt up off the ground, hanging onto his hammock and allowed his feet to dangle off the ground, ‘WHAT?!’

‘That’s right,’ she called back as she turned in the door, lingering for a moment. ‘If _I_ have to be up, then so do you. I have work to help Regina with and then I have to head in for my shift at the station. _You_ have to take the kid to the loft for babysitting with Granny and then you have work to do with Ruby and Belle down by the library.’

The exceed scoffed, ‘Not today I don’t. I’m sleeping in!’

‘Get off your ass or I’m roasting it.’ Emma growled before turning back into the hallway.

The dragon knew that her friend would take her threat seriously because like him she was sleep deprived. So, instead she began to make her way down the hallway and past the guest room and guest bathroom before she made a right directly into the nursery. The name _Senna_ written in cursive on the door in dark blue.

Unlike Emma and Happy’s room, the little raven haired girl’s room was filled with colors of all kind. Emma, Henry and Happy had all made a mess of it by buying all the colors of the rainbow at the store and then having a paint fight in the nursery. The splash of colors didn’t seem to be minded by the little one and if she was happy then so would they be. 

Like Emma and Happy’s room, the nursery looked out over a view of the ocean as well as the small backyard that had come with the house. The blonde needed to keep reminding herself that she would need to build a swing at one point or another. Preferably before her kid could walk.

Emma made her way to the cot in the middle of the room, barely avoiding the beautiful glass mobile; a present from Regina of all people. It was a collection of a number of things: apples, horses, baby rattles; things that the brunette sorceress was rather fond of as well. The dragon then bent down to collect the crying infant in her arms. A gasp cut Senna’s screams off and she fell silent instantly.

‘We had a deal, you know?’ Emma gave the girl an unimpressed look. ‘That you wouldn’t scream on my next shift and I’d get more than two hours of sleep.’

A shrill laugh escaped Senna as she swung her arms around happily. The little demigod wiggled in Emma’s grasp, causing her mother to adjust her slightly so that she wouldn’t lose her grip. Senna seemed far too content in her duckling one-piece as she clapped her hands together as though she didn’t particularly care what their deal was earlier.

The dragon grumbled, ‘That’s unfair, kid. Totally, _totally_ unfair.’ Emma lifted Senna so that her head was just sticking out above her shoulder, her little fingers weaving their way into Emma’s curly locks. ‘Let’s go see what Uncle Happy has prepared for us. It better be coffee. For me at least. You’re too young for that.’

‘Brrl!’

‘I’m glad that you agree.’

*

‘Belle!’ Ruby exclaimed, her voice echoing through the ginormous house as she made her way down the steps. 

The town’s residential she-wolf was dressed in only a pair of jeans and a bright red bra as she struggled to pull her flannel shirt’s sleeve over her arm. Given that her toothbrush was in her mouth and hindering her of this task made it that much more difficult a top of the issue of Belle’s absence or lack of response.

‘Come on, French!’ Ruby raised her voice, her boots thundering on the wooden floors. ‘We’re already late! Happy’s gonna give me hell enough as it is!’

Things have been... trying in the household that Belle and Ruby had glued together after Rumple’s banishment. On occasion Mulan would be sleeping over as well along with Marian Locksley of all people, seeing as they were the only women in the Merry men’s camp. Those nights involved popcorn and a lot of Netflix animations for the sake of little Roland.

It was an adjustment for Belle being without Rumple, and often at night she would slip into Ruby’s bedroom just because of a nightmare. For the most part, the she-wolf had tried to give the redhead her space in an effort to help her heal and find herself, but that proved rather difficult in the mornings where she woke up with Belle tucked between the valley of her breast or when she walked into the kitchen on a Saturday and the woman was dancing to something on the radio; dressed in nothing but a t-shirt that was far too large for her and her underwear.

Amongst the fun, there had been a lot of research involved as well. The original trio—Emma, Mulan and Ruby—along with the others would either be researching the _Sorcerer’s hat_ nonstop in order to free the fairies or they would waste away hours in the library or the Sorcerer’s mansion for clues as to where they could find the author. Even with Emma’s countless research journals, they were very much in the dark.

‘Belle, what the hell are you—’ Ruby cut herself off when she reached the kitchen’s doorway. 

Her shirt was still undone, shamelessly displaying her bra-cladded breasts for all to see, but she has never been one to mind such odd necessities. Even before she knew that she was a wolf.

Belle sat on the floor, leaning back against the kitchen island. The smell of burnt eggs filled Ruby’s lungs and she instantly determined why her friend’s cheeks was stained with tears. She looked up at Ruby with big, glowing blue orbs that shattered the she-wolf’s heart even more than it already had.

A sigh escaped Ruby as she placed her hands on her hips, her taut stomach flexed under the movement and she wasn’t going to lie that seeing Belle’s eyes linger there for a moment filled her with pride. Now, however, was not the time to act on that.

‘I ruined breakfast,’ informed Belle by lieu of a greeting. She brought a hand to her cheek as her lip trembled. ‘Gods, I can’t do anything right.’

‘Oh, that’s not true,’ frowned the she-wolf, lowering herself to her haunches to look at her friend without the distance that separated them. ‘You’re great at a lot of things; organizing and researching, stitching and bandaging. You’ve patched me and Em up over the past few weeks more times than I can count.’

Belle released a humorless laugh, ‘Hmm, yeah, it’s _Em and I_ , and I’ve only had to "patch you up" because Leroy has some sick fixation with broken bottles when he’s drunk.’

‘See!’ Ruby pressed. ‘You got the grammar thing going for you, too!’

The redhead still stared at her in disbelief, but Ruby could see the flicker of her friend returning. The she-wolf regarded her for a moment, determining what course of action she should take in the next few moments.

‘Tell you what—let’s just leave this mess here for now and I’ll come home to clean it later, and we’ll pick up pancakes and lemonade from _Granny’s_?’ Ruby suggested with a raised eyebrow. ‘How does that sound?’

Belle shook her head as more tears welled up in her eyes, ‘Rumple will be furious if we...’ The redhead trailed off as she glanced away for a moment. It was as if her memories cleared once more and the past few weeks resurfaced in her mind’s eye. She closed get eyes before muttering, ‘I’m being silly. And all round ridiculous.’

Ruby smiled sadly and rested a gentle hand on her friend’s ankle, ‘Not more than usual.’

The redhead playfully stuck her tongue out towards the brunette.

‘ _So..._?’ Ruby tilted her head to the side just as a puppy wood. ‘Pancakes and lemonade?’

Belle merely smiled in reply.

*

‘Ma should have come to breakfast with us,’ said Henry nonchalantly, shoving a rather large bite of his pancakes into his mouth. Syrup stuck to the side of his chin, but he didn’t seem to mind or even notice the inconvenience. ‘I like having family breakfasts.’

Regina turned her head towards Henry and instantly noticed the streak of syrup. She pursed her lips as she set her cutlery down and reached for a napkin.

‘I enjoy it, too, but Senna hadn’t been sleeping well last night,’ explained the brunette. ‘Your mother has a responsibility to your sister as well now and a baby is a lot of hard work.’ 

The sorceress furrowed her brows as she continued to wipe at Henry’s chin. He didn’t seem pleased by being "babied", but Henry didn’t dare to pull away. The consequences of denying his mother moments like this was far more dire than remaining with the syrup on his chin.

‘But isn’t Senna your daughter, too?’ Henry questioned on, barreling over all of Regina’s neatly placed defenses and responses. ‘Shouldn’t they be like living with us by now?’

The waitress behind the counter choked on her laugh as she passed them, careful to avoid Regina’s deathly glance as she walked off to tend to other customers.

‘Senna is like a daughter to me...’ Regina answered carefully, moving her hands away from her son’s features. ‘And in a way I do help your mother with her more than anyone else...’

She needed to tread carefully now. Over the past two months, Emma and Regina had both agreed to keep the details of their relationship private, even from Henry. They never lied to him, not ever, but they weren’t forthcoming with information either. 

During "sleepovers" they would go to separate bedrooms, only sneaking over to the other when Henry had fallen askeep and on "Date night" they would make it appear as though they weren’t even in the same town. They’ve been expertly discreet, and they’ve neither confirmed a thing nor denied it.

‘Henry,’ addressed Regina firmly. ‘Whatever makes you think that your mother and I will be moving in together?’

The teenager rolled his eyes, ‘'Cause you’ve been dating for like two months now, right? Isn’t that like... I don’t know... enough time to decide?’

Regina turned paler than even Snow White herself. She hadn’t the slightest of clues how to respond to the situation that now sat in front of her.

‘Come on, mom,’ pressed Henry. ‘Did you really think I didn’t know? _Everyone_ knows.’

‘We were... we _are_ discreet,’ she insisted lamely, but her voice lacked her usual confidence.

‘About as discreet as an elephant in a china shop,’ teased Henry. ‘Happy gushes about you two like all the time. He’s a bit of a gossip.’

The sorceress narrowed her eyes, the mantra "I’ll kill him" beginning to chant in her mind. Her response, however, was immediately damage control. She and Emma had been talking about when they would officially announce their relationship to the boy, and that plan seemed to have gone up in flames now.

‘Well, are you okay with it?’ Regina questioned hesitantly. ‘Our relationship? It isn’t... too strange... or weird that your mothers—’

‘Have the hots for each other?’ Henry grinned. ‘Mom, it’s awesome. You guys are my family—my _real_ family. I think it’s great that you two are together.’

Regina would lie if she were to say that she didn’t want to break down crying then and there. Her smile practically lit up the diner, matching Henry’s own. She reached out and grabbed his chin gently. She tried to convey all that she felt in that simple look; love, relief, adoration and devotion. Though, she knew such a task was impossible.

‘Eat your breakfast,’ her voice came out as a whisper. Emotions overwhelmed her vocal chords and left her a blubbering mess of a woman. ‘You’re going to be late for school.’

Henry’s smile only widened at that as he did as he was told.

**_Enchanted Forest, Athena’s Temple in Athens—Past_ **

Poseidon’s laugh carried through the temple as Emma struggled against his warriors. They stood in front of Athena’s statue, the beautiful goddess reaching up to the ceiling and staring off into the distance. The dragon growled, hissed and spat as she struggled against the immortals, desperation in her eyes as she stared at the woman in the gods grasp.

Medusa was a fair and kind woman. She’d mended Emma’s awful wounds that would have meant her death and she had offered both her and Happy shelter. 

Now, the ginger haired woman was being dragged around on the marble floor as though she were a ragged doll, tears spilling over her tanned cheeks as she gripped onto her assailants hand in an effort to try and escape her grasp.

Happy on the other hand lay a few feet in the distance, one of his wings torn clean off as he lay unconscious. Pieces of his fur had been torn out and covered in blood. However, his chest was still moving up and down to signal that he was still very much alive.

‘Poseidon! You _bastard_!’ Emma bellowed, eyes ablaze with fury as she tried to throw the strangely dressed fishmen off her. Their grip held strong, yet she continued her efforts. ‘You harm one hair on her head and I’ll burn you alive!’

‘Emma,’ Medusa shook her head, pleading in her eyes. ‘It is all right. He will kill you and Happy if he does not get what he desires.’

‘Then it’s a small price to pay!’ Emma barked back. ‘I won’t let him harm you! I promise gods-damnit!’

‘I won’t let him harm _you_ ,’ insisted Medusa as the tears continued to spill over her cheeks. ‘Please, let me save you.’

‘No!’ Tears began to shone in Emma’s eyes. ‘I’m not worth it! Don’t let him take you! Don’t give yourself to him!’

Medusa shook her head, ‘Athena has forsaken me. This is the only way, Emma.’

Poseidon continued forward, proceeding to grip Emma by her own tuft of golden locks. A furious growl escaped the dragon as she pulled back, disgusted by the god’s touch.

‘For your insubordination,’ Poseidon began, mirth dancing in his eyes. ‘You will watch.’

‘I’m going to kill you,’ Emma growled out. ‘I’m going to go to tear you limb from limb. I’ll show you the same mercy that you’ve shown us here today.’

The god merely laughed as he then proceeded to drag Medusa to the center of the room.

Emma locked eyes with Medusa, pain shining in her green orbs, ‘Look at me Medusa. You look at me, okay? I’m right here. I’m right here with you.’

The ginger nodded her head, tears pooling from her eyes and onto the marble floor.

The sound of the virgin white dress tearing echoed throughout the temple. 

‘NO!’


	2. "Free The Fairies" Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good morning!
> 
> Thanks for all the kudos, bookmarks and comments. 
> 
> Enjoy today’s chapter!

**_Storybrooke, Library—Present_ **

A furious growl escaped Ruby as the clipboard came crashing down onto the library floor. Happy and Belle, who had been occupied with the computer and several other large books that were stacked around the counter, jumped at the she-wolf’s sudden outburst.

‘Hey!’ Belle cried out, not particularly happy with her friend’s behavior.

Happy sprouted his wings and flew over to Ruby’s side, already used to such displays of anger. Whilst the exceed might not know the woman all that well he was used to Emma’s famous temper. She wasn’t a fire dragon just because it was her element.

‘Well,’ began Happy, helping the brunette collect the scattered items. ‘I see that you still have that temper of yours.’

The she-wolf huffed, but had the decency to at least look guilty. ‘Sorry,’ she muttered, sparing a concerned look in Belle’s direction. ‘I’m just tired of things not going my way. It’s been two months and still nothing. We don’t know how to help the fae and at the pace we’re working we never will.’

‘Look,’ Happy lifted the clipboard back up as he floated to eye-level with Ruby, ‘I know that you’re still frustrated about the wolf pack that you went looking for and that you couldn’t find a trace of them. I’m sorry, I really am, but you can’t snap like that.’ The feline then lowered his voice so that Belle wouldn’t here him. ‘She’s still recovering from a lot of stuff that Mr. Rumple put her through. So, be gentle.’

A sigh escaped Ruby and she drooped her shoulders. ‘I know.’ She then nodded her head determinedly and turned back towards the clipboard. ‘I’m sorry,’ she muttered again. ‘I’m just sick of dead ends.’

The redhead nodded her head, a sigh of her own escaping her lips. She too felt as Ruby did, but she knew that if they gave up hope then Mother Superior and the other fae truly would be trapped in the hat forever.

‘I know,’ agreed Belle. ‘But we just have to keep at it. We will find a spell to release the fairies. Emma’s notes has already helped immensely and I’ve translated at least half of the texts already. And I've reached out to some of the finest minds in the world, and one of them will get back to us.’

‘Yeah,’ added Happy, flying back over to where he had been seated with one of Emma’s journals. ‘I’m sure that Em and I documented the hat somewhere in one of these things, and once we find it I’m sure that we’ll be that much closer to fixing all of this.’

Ruby tsked as she rolled her eyes. She was particularly bitter today for some or other reason. Like Mary Margaret she was one of the most hopeful people that one could meet, but after dead end after dead end after dead end her "hope" supply was dwindling and evaporating rather quickly. She’s never liked Mother Superior or the other fae before because of how they viewed her; a beast, a creature of darkness, but that didn’t necessarily mean she wanted them all trapped inside the Sorcerer’s hat for as long as they had been.

‘I hope that you’re right,’ sighed Ruby.

‘I am,’ declared Belle firmly. The redhead turned the page of a book before a thought then struck her. ‘Wait, shouldn’t Hook be helping us with this? He is partly responsible even if Rumple had his heart.’

‘The pirate took off three weeks ago,’ informed Happy without even glancing up from his book. ‘Something about nothing tying him to Storybrooke and that the town was a bore, or something. I wasn’t really paying attention because Emma and I were too busy betting by when and where he would sink his ship. I said he wouldn’t make it halfway across the Atlantic.’

‘I said that he would at least make it to Cape Town, South Africa, and then he’d run the _Jolly Roger_ aground.’

Belle rolled her eyes at her friends’ antics, ‘You guys are mean.’ Choosing that it was safer to change the subject, Belle continued to page through a transcript, ‘So, Happy, how’s little Senna settling in?’

Happy smiled broadly as he glanced up from the journal, ‘Oh, great! Emma and I haven’t slept more that three hours in the past week, but that’s okay. The Dr. Lady says that she’s doing great and that she hasn’t experienced any problems so far. We went for a two month checkup yesterday, cause Emma’s a little nervous that she’ll develop differently than a regular baby.’

A snort escaped Ruby as she slightly turned back towards the exceed, ‘How’s Madame "Stick-Up-Her-Ass" Mayor taking all of this?’

‘Ruby!’ Belle scolded with a stern look.

‘What?’ The she-wolf countered innocently. ‘You don’t know what kind of crap I had to put up with Emma for three weeks because of that woman. Mulan and I had to pick up the pieces, and now she just gets to reap the fruits that we helped prepare.’

‘Better than I expected,’ informed Happy, a considering frown passing over his features. ‘She’s been really supportive and she’s been like the magical box.’ The feline directed his paw to the computer behind him. ‘Whenever Emma’s stuck on something, she would call Regina—no matter what time—and Regina would either just tell her what to do or she would teleport herself over.’

‘And how’s the other part going?’ Ruby rose an eyebrow, fully turning towards the two by the counter. ‘She hasn’t broken Emma’s heart yet?’

A scoff escaped Belle, ‘You are such a pessimist.’ The librarian then turned back towards Happy. ‘Don’t listen to her. Regina had been miserable without Emma here and I’m certain that she wouldn’t do anything to intentionally hurt your...’ Belle frowned as the right word to describe their relationship escaped her. ‘What exactly are you and Emma to each other, Happy?’

The exceed smiled broadly, ‘We’re best friends!’ Happy then shrugged slightly, ‘Though, I wouldn’t be able to say how it’s going with them. Emma’s trying to figure it out on her own for now and I want to respect that.’

‘Wow, Happy,’ beamed Belle. She then turned her head to give Ruby a stern look. ‘That’s truly mature of you. Most people I know can’t even spell the word.’

Ruby scowled, ‘I too can spell it! M-A-T-O-R! Hah!’

Happy raised his paw with a serious look now etched onto his face. ‘Ruby, I think that you might really be an idiot!’

*

The Mayoral office was completely empty.

There wasn’t a trace of life except for the items that littered the desk from when Regina had previously been in that morning.

The Sheriff office too was empty.

Only David and August occupied their respective desks as they finished filling out their paperwork for the next patrol.

The Mayor’s mansion seemed to be devoid of life, except for the master bedroom at the top of the stairs. The door was shut firmly, keeping out anyone who shouldn’t enter.

On the Queen size bed, Regina sat with her head perched in her hand, her elbow resting on her knee. Her heels had been placed on the foot of the bed so that she was now barefoot on the furniture. The dress she wore bunched up ever so slightly as she watched her girlfriend with a deadpanned expression.

Emma, the love of her life, was floating around the room upside down with her tongue sticking out of her mouth as she frowned at the deck of cards in her hands. 

Like the mayor, her leather boots rested next to the brunette’s heels. Her red leather jacket had been discarded to hang on the coatrack by the door, leaving her in her tank top and a pair of jeans.

Regina continued to drum her long delicate nails on her chin as she stared at the blonde before stating, ‘When you said "magical in bed", this isn’t exactly what I ima—’

Emma held an eight of hearts out towards Regina, a smug grin on her face as she momentarily stilled mid air. ‘Is _this_ your card?’

The sorceress’s eyes nearly bulged out of her eyes as she reached forward to grab the card from Emma’s grasp. Then, softly, she muttered more to herself than to the blonde, ‘Holy Merlin.’ The brunette’s head darted up towards Emma, eyes filled with wonder. ‘How did you do that?’

The dragon’s smirk only widened, ‘A magician never reveals her tricks!’

‘Did you use magic?’ Regina pursed her lips, desperate for answers.

‘No,’ Emma insisted for what would now be the trillionth time. ‘It’s not regular magic.’

The brunette frowned, crossing her arms over her chest, ‘Why won’t you just tell me what your secret is?’

‘Because it’ll ruin it,’ chuckled Emma, floating closer so that she could place an upside down kiss on Regina’s cheek. ‘Don’t be a spoil sport.’

A huff escaped the former queen, ‘I’m _not_ a spoil sport. I just want to know what sorcery this is.’ Regina reached up to hand the card back to Emma.

The blonde grinned as she placed it back into the deck. Emma gained a calculated look as she turned herself around, floating down onto the bed so that her knees graced against Regina’s.

‘I didn’t just invite you here so that we could...’ Regina pursed her lips playfully despite the fact that she was displeased with the dragon. It annoyed her that the beast was playing coy and that she could get any real answer out of her regarding the deck of cards. ‘ _...fool around._ ’

Emma placed an offended hand against her chest and gasped for effect. ‘ _Madame Mayor!_ Are you suggesting that we _are_ canoodling? And during _work hours?_ I _shudder_ at the thought!’

Regina rolled her eyes and gave Emma’s knee a quick slap. ‘I wanted to tell you that the ruse is over. _Your_ son is far more clever than we thought and your _pet_ is far more loose-lipped than you reassured me.’

It was Emma’s turn to turn her green orbs ceiling-ward. Regina always had a dramatic flare to her and she expressed herself as such on a regular basis. 

‘Henry is _our_ son,’ corrected the blonde as she began to shuffle the deck of cards in her hands. ‘And Happy means well. You gotta lay off the little guy, if only a little.’

The sorceress crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes at the blonde, ‘Didn’t you hear me? Henry knows that we’re together.’

The cards jumbled out of Emma’s hands and she looked up at Regina with wide eyes. ‘It was a secret?’

Gaping, Regina tried not to strangle the dragon. ‘Why do you _think_ we’ve been discussing when the right time was to announce our relationship to Henry?’

Emma gained a thoughtful look and momentarily stared off in the distance as she ran through all their past interactions in her mind. She then gained a look of awe; struck by an epiphany. ‘ _Ooooh_!’

‘Gods,’ Regina groaned, closing her eyes. ‘Why me?’

The dragon laughed playfully, and with a wave of her hand all the cards disappeared from sight. ‘Do you want to see another trick?’

Barely able to contain the childlike wonder that sparked in her eyes, all thoughts of the blonde’s mistake disappearing from her mind, Regina nodded enthusiastically. ‘Yes, please.’

Emma couldn’t help but grin as she waved her hand and a piece of wax paper appeared. She refocused her attention away from Regina as she began to fold it carefully in order not to accidentally tear the fragile material in her grasp.

‘There’s an Italian painter, named _Carlotti_ ,’ Emma began tentatively, clearing her voice nervously as she glanced from Regina’s eyes to the waxing paper.

Regina rose a curious yet teasing eyebrow, ‘You know about Italian painters?’

Scowling playfully, the dragon glanced up into russet orbs, ‘Poke fun all you want, but painters actually fascinate me. I loved Art Class during school.’ She paused considering her words, ‘Well, the days that I didn’t decide to play _hookie_.’

The brunette grinned, once again placing her palm under her chin so that she could place her weight onto her knee. ‘Which was quite often, I presume?’

Emma scoffed exasperatedly, ‘Do you want to hear the story or are you just going to continue hating on my prison GED?’

‘No, I’m sorry,’ Regina laughed. ‘Please, continue.’

‘ _Carlotti_ ,’ Emma cleared her voice as she continued to fold the paper, ‘he defined beauty as _the summation of the parts working together in such a way that nothing needed to be added, taken away or altered; complete, utter perfection._ ’ 

The dragon held up the paper, finally finished. In her hand she held the outline of a rose. She looked up at Regina, connecting her eyes with her girlfriend’s.

‘That’s you.’

Emma glanced away from the way that Regina’s eyes instantly softened and returned her attention to the paper in her grasp. With her finger tips she lit the bottom on fire and allowed the flames to eat away at the waxing paper. A moment later, once the light was no longer blinding, a single rose emerged from the large flames.

Turning back towards Regina, Emma held the rose out towards brunette and gave her a serious look.

‘You’re beautiful.’

The former queen accepted the rose from the blonde, unable to form a coherent word. Regina swallowed thickly as she glanced down at the beautiful rose in her grasp. She glanced up at Emma in a considering manner.

‘If this is your way of seducing your way into my bed.’ Regina leaned forward so that their mouths were only millimeters apart. ‘Then it’s working, Miss Swan.’

Emma placed their foreheads together, her hands coming to rest around Regina’s wrists, ‘I have no ulterior motives for saying that, Regina. You are by far the most beautiful creature that I’ve ever laid my eyes on. And I’ll tell you that every day if that is what it’ll take.’

Regina swallowed nervously, ‘Take for what?’

‘For you to understand that I don’t want anyone else but you,’ Emma whispered back before she connected their lips in a sweet but passionate kiss.

The sorceress gasped into Emma’s mouth as the dragon nibbled down on her bottom lip, asking for entrance. It granted the dragon the entrance she required to slip her tongue in and begin guiding Regina down on the bed. Emma softly began to pry the rose from Regina’s grasp and set it down on the nightstand as their kissing intensified and the dragon nudged the latter’s legs apart with a skilled knee.

Kissing was no stranger to them. Over the past few weeks they’d grown accustomed to stolen lips wherever they could manage to squeeze in a moment. However, they had not yet been intimate in anyway. 

Regina could tell that Emma didn’t want to try anything yet after the whole fiasco with the _Goddess of Chaos and Discord_ , and whilst they never talked about it the former queen didn’t want to end up making the blonde uncomfortable around her. So, she had left the issue for the time being, content with merely having Emma in her arms now.

Suddenly, the dragon pulled away as the cellphone in her jacket began to chime.

‘Emma Swan,’ hissed Regina, grabbing onto the blonde’s tank top and scrunching it up. She gave the dragon a stern look, desperate to keep Emma’s knee exactly where it was. ‘Don’t you _dare_ answer that.’

A chuckle escaped her as she placed a chaste kiss on Regina’s lips. ‘It could be important.’

‘My lack of a sex life is far more important than the peasants.’ Regina pulled Emma closer and smirked mischievously as she placed both of her arms around the woman’s neck. ‘Bunch of whiners.’

In a puff of white smoke, Emma disappeared and reappeared by the coatrack. She gave Regina an apologetic look as the woman scowled at her from her position on the bed. The dragon mouthed an apology as she proceeded to rummage through her jacket before she finally discovered the offending item.

A growl escaped Regina as she crossed her arms over her chest and threw herself back onto the bed. ‘It better be important, or I’m skinning the caller alive.’

Emma rolled her eyes, and then answered without even glancing at the caller ID. ‘This is Sheriff Swan. What can I help you with?’

‘ _Hey, Emma_ ,’ came the chipped greeting. ‘ _It’s Belle. Have I caught you and Regina in the middle of work?_ ’

‘No, it’s fine,’ smiled the blonde. 

An indignant scoff escaped Regina as she pushed herself up off her elbows. ‘It most certainly is _not_ fine!’

Again, the blonde rolled her eyes, ‘We’re just finishing up here. What do you need us to do?’

‘ _I have a way to get the fairies out_ ,’ informed the bibliophile. ‘ _Can Happy, Ruby and I meet you guys at the office? We can go over the incantation from there?_ ’

Emma nodded, ‘Yeah. Meet us in five.’ The savior hung up and looked up at Regina, who was now glaring at her in a crossed leg position. ‘Don’t look at me like that. We have a job to do.’

‘Well,’ hissed Regina. ‘For all I care, they can simply all remain in that hat.’

‘You don’t mean that,’ declared Emma, reaching for her jacket and then proceeding to throw it over her shoulder as she began to put it on. ‘Now come on. Stop pouting. There’ll be time for _canoodling_ later.’

‘I hate you,’ Regina tossed back, proceeding to slide off her bed.

The dragon grinned, ‘You don’t mean that either.’

*

An uneasy feeling settled in Emma’s stomach as she went over the incantation over and over again. The text was in an ancient tongue of dragons. It seemed so familiar yet Emma couldn’t place her finger on what the words truly meant. However, saying that she was uncomfortable with seeing Regina with the Dark One dagger preparing to take part in the ritual was the biggest understatement of the year. 

They all wanted the fae out and back into the real world, but there were other things in the hat that shouldn’t be released. Namely a Chernabog that devoured little fairies for its midnight snack. Emma also didn’t want Regina to be risking her life for something so feeble. They hadn’t the slightest of clues how this spell could take a toll on the caster or what the consequences could be. It wasn’t worth it if Regina ended up paying the price.

Everything was set up already, far outside of town with only the _Charming’s_ , Belle, Ruby, Mulan and Happy, besides Emma and Regina, to help deal with the fallout if the spell decided to go sideways. 

The last thing that they wanted was for this entire thing to blow up in their faces, but they needed to take precautions.

‘Understand that thing any more than you did five minutes ago?’ Ruby’s teasing voice filtered next to Emma. 

She was smirking at the blonde, arms crossed over her chest. Mulan stood next to the she-wolf, curious as to what Emma as trying to discover in the process of reading the incantation. It hadn’t escaped either of their attention that the dragon wasn’t overly fond of the plan.

‘The words are floating around, but I can’t get them to sit still,’ grumbled the blonde. ‘Demigods’ brains are haywired to read _Greek_ and _Latin_. Dragons are ancient creatures, so _Greek_ comes natural to them as well. However, a tongue that goes even farther back is this one. It’s comes close to authentic tongue of the dragons. I could be able to read it but it would take time.’

‘Belle said that a man from a place called Ox... ford already translated it for us,’ reminded Mulan, frowning with a considering look on her face. ‘We don’t need to translate it again.’

‘True,’ nodded Emma. ‘But don’t you guys think it’s odd that someone from outside of Storybrooke could answer this so quickly? This ancient language has been lost for millions of centuries and I, whom happens to be a dragon, am struggling to read it. And I’m technically cheating with magic.’

‘So, what you’re saying...’ Ruby motioned with her hand for Emma to elaborate. ‘... is... that we should...’

‘Stay alert,’ declared Emma firmly, shutting the translation with a huff. The book then disappearing in a cloud of smoke the moment the two pages smacked against each other. ‘Surprises lead to being ill prepared. And if we’re ill prepared, then someone could get hurt. Or worse—’

‘Dead.’ Mulan and Emma finished at the same time.

The warrior nodded her head firmly as she grasped onto the sword at her side. ‘I’ll stay vigilant,’ nodded Mulan. ‘Nothing will get past me.’

Emma glanced over to where Regina, Belle and Happy were preparing for the last of the ceremony. Her tense shoulders relaxed slightly at Mulan’s reassuring words and she couldn’t help but trust her old friend. The blonde nodded as she turned back towards her old companions.

‘Thank you,’ she exhaled. ‘I’m afraid that you two will have to be on your own. I’m still not sleeping as well as I’d like.’

‘Unfortunately, not because of sex,’ sighed Ruby, patting Emma on the shoulder. ‘I feel for ya, Em. That’s why you should always wear protection.’

Emma scowled and flipped the brunette the bird as she marched towards the group. Together the gathered around the boulder where the hat sat in its boxed form. Around them stood various of well placed torches to symbolize the incantation circle. 

The blonde reached forward, grasping onto Regina’s gloved wrist as she had began to take out the dagger.

‘I don’t like this,’ informed Emma, pursing her lips. ‘Let me do it. I’m not comfortable with you risking your life like this.’

An indignant scoff escaped Regina as she yanked her hand away. She sent a look towards the others standing around them, causing everyone to collectively blow out nervous breaths before they gave the couple the space that they required by glancing up into the sky or simply away.

‘Miss Swan,’ hissed Regina through gritted teeth. ‘I am not some helpless damsel in distress that you need to wrap in bubblewrap and stick somewhere in a cave. I don’t need your protection.’

A growl escaped low in Emma’s throat as she clenched her fists. ‘We don’t know what this spell would do and I’d rather not help everyone else clean up your inwards from the forest floor.’

Regina rolled her eyes. ‘It’ll be fine.’ Straightening herself, the sorceress held the dagger over the small box and gave Emma a meaningful look. ‘I appreciate your concern, but it’s not needed nor is it wanted. Now stand back before you are the one that gets hurt.’

Knowing that she wouldn’t get through to the brunette, Emma released a frustrated sigh and moved to stand next to Mulan. The warrior turned and patted Emma’s shoulder in a comforting manner before she turned back to face the beginning of the ceremony.

Happy flew from David’s shoulder to land on his companion’s head, finding it amusing as she pouted and crossed her arms over her chest.

They all watched with tense anticipation as Regina lay the dagger over the box, then moved back a pace to touch the tip of the dagger onto it. As quickly as she could, the sorceress placed some distance between herself and the hat.

A moment passed and still nothing happened. Emma and Regina looked up at one another and frowned worriedly, both thinking that the incantation hadn’t worked. Then, a blinding golden light shone from the box, causing everyone to look away as a gust of wind threatened to send them all off balance. 

Finally looking back over, Mother Superior and the rest of the fae now crouched together around the rock. Their eyes were wide and filled with complete and utter fear as though they were shell-shocked.

The heroes moved closer in to begin aiding the women, a broad smile on their faces. Happy was grinning from ear to ear as Emma helped Mother Superior off the ground.

‘Thank you,’ came the woman’s soft and panicked voice. She gripped onto Emma’s forearm as though it were a lifeline in the sea of darkness.

‘You all right?’ Emma questioned worriedly, easily supporting the leader of the fae as though she weighed a feather.

‘No.’ The woman shook her head. Then she swallowed thickly before croaking out, ‘I’ll live.’ Mother Superior glanced towards the hat. ‘But being in there with... Thank you.’

‘Actually,’ interjected Happy, ‘you should be thanking Miss Regina. She helped get you out.’

Mother Superior glanced towards the brunette. Regina smiled what she hoped to be a warm expression as her hands shook erratically from the magical energy that she had just expelled.

‘Welcome back.’ Regina nodded, trying desperately to calm herself.

Mother Superior smiled weakly before inclining her head. ‘Thank you.’

The nuns all made their way to one another, drawing each other in for a close embrace whilst most of the heroes stood by and watched with hopeful expression.

Happy sprouted his wings and flew from Emma’s head towards Belle, landing on the woman’s shoulder.

Sparing the reunion a brief glance, Emma made her way to Regina’s side. Her eyes immediately took in the shaking woman and she couldn’t help but frown in concern. She reached out towards her girlfriend, only to have her pull away at the last moment.

‘I’m fine,’ insisted the sorceress. ‘There’s no need to make a fuss.’

Emma gave her a look, ‘You’re shaking because of the amount of magic you just expelled. Here.’ 

The blonde took the woman by her wrist and brief gust of wind expelled from her. Almost instantly Regina’s shaking ceased and she couldn’t help but grip onto Emma’s forearm to keep the wonderful sensation flowing through her body.

‘See?’ Emma questioned smugly. ‘Not so bad having someone who cares about your wellbeing now, is it?’

A small smile graced Regina’s lips, ‘Thank you.’

Unbeknownst to them, a dark liquid began to pool from the box and leaked onto the floor. It began to take the form of a shadow as it grew in size and floated into the air. The demon then disappeared into the sky without so much as a sound.


	3. What’s Killing Property Values Now?

_Granny’s_ was in full celebration as it always was after yet another victory for the good guys. The jukebox was blaring loudly, the fae was reuniting with the townspeople, everyone was conversation and eating, and it seemed that all was well in the small town of Storybrooke, Maine. However, as everyone was in the celebration mood, Emma was by the bar bouncing her leg impatiently.

Every now and then the dragon would glanced back to where Happy, Henry and Regina were now conversing with Mother Superior about the books that they had found in the Sorcerer’s mansion. 

Ruby stood across from her at the counter pouring her a cup of coffee whilst discreetly adding Fire Whiskey to the drink. She was frowning at her friend with concern clear in her eyes as she tried to decipher whatever was going on inside Emma’s head. So far her luck had not been great at reading her best friend.

Finally, Emma turned back towards the brunette and reached for her coffee. ‘Stop staring at me like I set your den on fire. Spit it out already.’ The dragon tilted the coffee back and began to consume every last drop in one go.

‘Something on your mind, Em?’ Ruby questioned worriedly. ‘You seem distracted.’

‘I have a bad feeling about today.’ The dragon wiped her mouth and looked guiltily up at the blue-eyed beauty. ‘I still haven’t paid the price.’

The she-wolf frowned in confusion, ‘You mean when you used the time spell without permission?’

Emma sighed as she bobbed her head, ‘I’ve been procrastinating.’

A look of disbelief past over Ruby’s face, ‘By which you mean that you’ve been ignoring the gods instead of just _womanning_ up?’ The she-wolf brought her hand up to her forehead as her eyes widened. ‘Oh gods, Em. Are you out of your mind?’

‘I know!’ Emma grimaced. ‘Things have just been going so good with Regina and with Senna, and I didn’t want Regina to think that I’m a screw-up and... and...’ The dragon dropped her head. ‘I fucked up didn’t I?’

The waitress nodded, ‘Yeah. You did.’ Ruby leaned forward on the counter as she gave Emma a sympathetic look. ‘What are you going to do about it?’

‘I have to come clean to Regina,’ sighed Emma, reaching up to rub the back of her neck. ‘Then, I don’t know... Happy and I will have to burn an offering. I’ll be sent on quest, no doubt about that.’

Ruby nodded in understanding, ‘I’d offer to go with, but Belle needs me right now. Mulan’s still settling into the new job and she isn’t going to want to be away so soon.’ The she-wolf paused as she considered her options. ‘Belle and I’d be happy to babysit your kid. I mean, I’m not overly great with them, but Belle would be swell.’

The dragon huffed out a breath, then nodded, ‘Thanks, Rubes. I’ll, uh, keep that in mind.’

Emma turned on her heels and began to make a beeline for Mother Superior’s table. She plopped herself next to Regina, interrupting the conversation between her and the leader of the fae.

Henry frowned immediately at the look on her face from where he sat next to Blue, whilst Happy picked up on Emma’s particularly foul mood by just reading the waves of magic radiating off the dragon. The exceed lowered his fish and began to glance between the members of the table and his companion from his seat against the wall.

‘Ma,’ declared Henry cautiously. ‘Are you okay?’

The dragon nodded and forced a smile, ‘Yeah, no, I’m peachy. What’d I miss?’

Happy, Henry and Regina all shared uneasy looks by the answer, but given that they were in company they couldn’t address it for the time being.

‘I was just telling Regina and your son that the Author would have left hidden clues in some of his work as to where he might have gone,’ answered Blue, offering the savior a small smile as though she were trying to please the powerful creature.

‘What do you mean?’ Emma frowned. ‘Works like the kid’s book?’

Mother Superior opened her mouth to answer, only to be interrupted by the screeching roar of something outside the diner. The entire building shook with the force of it, causing everyone to turn around with wide shocked eyes.

‘What was that?’ Henry braved to ask, eyes wide and filled with fear.

Regina turned towards Emma, ‘I suppose that we should go out and see what’s killing property values this time?’

**_Enchanted Forest, Riverside in Golden Realm—Past; Year ???_ **

Night had set in and the sound of the crackling fire filled Emma’s ears as she was seated on a fallen log. She was hunched over, staring deeply into the flames as they danced rhythmically. Happy was fast asleep in his bedroll and blissfully unaware to the dark thoughts that travelled through his companion’s mind.

The rushing water made Emma uneasy, horrid memories of old flashing through her mind. Tears gathered in her eyes and stubbornly remained there even after she tried to blink them away. The hurt and pain in her heart was far too great to care for the figure that had rose from the watery depths of the river and now stood on the bank.

‘You seem troubled,’ declared Poseidon, announcing his presence rather loudly. His voice was firm and confident as he spoke. He always seemed to remind Emma of the ocean; strong and unpredictable. ‘You rarely ever stay up this late. Once your belly is full of food, you pass out along with the exceed.’

‘I don’t like it when you remind me that all of you gods in Olympus stalks us,’ grumbled the dragon, refusing to spare even a glance in the deity’s direction. ‘And I rarely ever spill what’s on my mind unless it’s to Happy. I’m fairly certain the last time that I checked, you don’t sprout feathered wings or have the catchphrase "Aye, sir!"’

‘I see that you’re still upset with me,’ growled the god. Poseidon drummed his fingers against his trident in an effort to remain calm. 

‘The understatement of this era and every other to be frank, but since I’m not allowed to kill you, lest I want to risk my family’s safety, I have to play nice.’ Emma offered the god one of the fakest smiles she could conjure, hoping that her eyes would communicate the hatred that she held in her heart. ‘What can I do for you, _oh great and powerful master of the seas?_ ’

The god huffed in amusement, ‘Sarcasm noted.’ He paused, glancing down briefly. ‘I have a quest for you. One that all the deities wish for you to succeed in.’

Emma rose an eyebrow, ‘Now when was the last time I had a quest that involved the interest of all the gods?’

‘I believe it was in the early years, when the gods’ reign had just begun,’ Poseidon smiled, his boots scrunching in the ground as he walked. ‘When you defeated the Kraken with the help of Perseus, my brother’s son.’

‘Yes,’ Emma smiled tersely, then clenched her jaw. ‘With Medusa’s head.’

Poseidon’s smile didn’t fall away. He didn’t even have the decency to look guilty. ‘She’s been reborn, you know? As all beasts are.’

‘I wonder how she ended up as such?’ Emma scoffed. She took a calming breath then returned her gaze to the flames. ‘I accept this quest. What is required of me?’

‘You must trap a woman. A woman who’s caused nothing but harm with the power that he possesses.’ Poseidon paused as he sighed. ‘However, there is a catch to this quest, one that the Fates have foretold must come to pass.’

Curious, Emma looked back up at the god. ‘What have they foretold?’

‘That your memories must be taken after. You will not remember trapping this woman, but it must come to pass. The fate of all the realms rests on your shoulders, Emma.’

The dragon hesitated, not enjoying the thought of having the deities scrabbling the things inside of her head. Though, knowing that duty as the savior and champion of Hephaestus must come before all else she found herself nodding her agreement.

‘Who am I looking for?’

Poseidon smiled, ‘The Author.’

**_Storybrooke, Main Street—Present_ **

After telling most members to remain inside, as well as Henry, Emma and Happy took the lead as they exited the diner, followed by Regina, Belle, Mulan, Ruby and Mary Margaret. Just as they ran out into the street another inhuman roar tore from their latest opponent’s throat. Instantly, they all turned towards the clocktower discovering an enormous beast crawling up on the very top. 

It’s eyes shone red, it’s wings stretching out proudly as it stared down at the women and exceed.

Before anyone could utter even a single word to convey their shock, fear or both the beast began to flap its mighty wings and rose into the air. It swooped down towards them, but the heroes ducked in time to avoid its large talons. 

Together they took refuge behind a nearby vehicle, briefly glancing back towards the hell-beast before they made a break for behind one of the shops. For the time being they ignored the screams of terror of the townspeople, knowing that there were bigger things that needed to be dealt with.

‘Did that _thing_ come out of the hat?!’ Regina exclaimed as she turned towards Belle. ‘I thought the spell was only supposed to release the fairies?’

Mary Margaret turned sharply towards the former queen, eyes wide and breath ragged with panic. ‘Well, maybe it is some kind of fairy.’

Everyone turned towards the pixie haired woman as frowns coated their features. Regina crossed her arms over her chest and gave Mary Margaret a sardonic look.

‘Stop me if I’m wrong, but I’m fairly certain that you would be the type of child to accept candy from strangers in white vans.’ Regina pursed her lips as she waited for the woman to prove her incorrect, ‘Please, please, _please_ try and argue with me on this.’

‘It’s not a fairy,’ interjected Happy, trying to get the group back on track. ‘It’s a Chernabog; a beast sent from the pits of Tartarus itself. It’s unbeatable.’

Ruby laughed nervously, ‘Why don’t we just put it _back_ in the hat, then we can debate all of this later?’ The waitress nodded as she looked between the others. ‘Right? Yeah, let’s put the demon back in the hat.’

‘This isn’t like pulling a white rabbit from a hat,’ informed Belle, wincing regretfully as the beast continued to roar. ‘Once something’s freed, it can never be re-trapped.’

Emma clenched her fists as she glanced up at Happy on her shoulder. They shared a shameful look with one another. The exceed then nodded his encouragement, wanting her to know that he was still by her side no matter what.

‘This is our fault,’ declared Emma, staring at the rest of the group.

Regina scoffed, ‘I fail to see how this could be your doing. It’s not like you summoned the beast here.’

The group watched as they shared a look with one another, guilt clear on their faces. Regina gained a serious expression.

‘Emma?’ The sorceress pressed, a panicked look in her eyes by the way that the other woman hesitated. ‘Why do you think that this is your and whisker’s fault?’

The savior took a deep breath, then exhaled, ‘You guys remember back before the _Spell of Shattered Sight_ struck? When we were planning on sending Belle and the kids to my pocket dimension? I mentioned that I could get into trouble for reversing the spell? Well, this is that trouble.’

Mary Margaret frowned as she glanced down in thought. As memory resurfaced she looked up to her daughter with wide eyes, ‘All magic comes with a price.’

‘Yeah,’ Emma agreed. ‘This is the gods punishment for not paying the price. If I survive...’ she trailed off as she glanced guiltily towards Regina.

‘If you survive...?’ The former queen prompted as she leaned forward expectantly. ‘Emma, what are you trying to say?’

‘She’ll have to leave again,’ finished Ruby, giving her friend another sympathetic look. Everyone turned their attention towards the she-wolf. ‘One of the gods want to send her on another quest.’

Horror graced the sorceress’s features as she turned towards Emma. The dragon pursed her lips regretfully as she awaited Regina’s reaction.

‘No.’ Regina shook her head.

‘Gina—’ Emma took a step forward just as Happy flew off her shoulder to provide them some space. The blonde reached for Regina’s hands, but the woman tried her best to shake her off. 

‘No!’

‘Baby—’

‘No, don’t you dare, Emma Evangeline Swan!’ The brunette spat as she tried to step away from the blonde.

‘Oh,’ Happy’s eyes widened. ‘This is bad. She used her full name.’

The women shot the exceed a disapproving look to scold him for the inappropriate remark.

‘We’ll, uh,’ Mulan looked to the others awkwardly. ‘We’ll try and scout the area without attracting the beast to our location. You guys look as though you need a moment.’

‘A moment?’ Ruby scoffed. ‘They need an hour and several drinks.’

Her reward was a smack in the back of the head by Belle and Mulan.

Emma sighed as she nodded her consent. Her eyes flickered from Regina towards the others; unable to meet her love’s eyes. 

‘Yeah, just buy us a few minutes.’

The women and Happy slipped away, expertly avoiding the open street and the roaring beast’s prying eyes. Emma turned towards Regina and she was met with a mixture of the fury of the gods and the devastation of Daedalus when his son plunged to his death.

‘You can’t—’ Regina choked back a sob. ‘You were gone for three years and... and you’ve only been home for a few months!’

‘It’s my job!’ Emma grabbed onto her girlfriend’s wrists as she tried to calm her down. ‘What do you want me to do?’

‘Say no!’ Regina exclaimed, trying to push Emma off of her. ‘You say no, and you stay here with Henry and with Senna and with... with me. You stay, gods-damnit.’

Emma had tears of her own gathering in her eyes as she pulled Regina flush against her. At first the sorceress tried to resist, but she found herself physically incapable of doing so. Regina melted against Emma as she fought back her tears, trying not to fall apart in her girlfriend’s arms.

‘I’m sorry,’ muttered Emma, cupping the back of Regina’s head the same way that she did with Henry. It was the only way that she knew how to provide her love comfort. ‘I wished that we had more time. That I didn’t have to leave.’

It was then that the group’s footsteps returned along with the sound of Happy’s wings filling their ears. They hurriedly pulled apart and wiped their tear filled eyes.

‘I hate to interrupt this tender moment,’ declared Mulan, causing the couple to turn towards her. ‘But there is still the problem of the demon.’

As if on cue another roar tore through the air and a collection of townsfolk’s screams filled the air.

‘Surely,’ continued Mulan. ‘The savior and evil queen can defeat a simple hell-beast.’

Regina scowled as she pulled out of Emma’s embrace. ‘Can we drop the "E" word already?’

Steeling herself, Emma nodded to Mulan, ‘I’ll need a boost, if you wouldn’t mind?’

The warrior nodded, ‘It’d be my pleasure.’

The dragon then turned towards Regina, ‘Get ready.’ Emma gave her a nod, filled with determination and faith. ‘I’m bringing that thing straight to you.’

Regina seemed to hesitate, but found herself nodding regretfully. As much as she wanted to continue their conversation, she knew that the town needed to come first.

Satisfied with the sorceress’s response, Emma set her sights on Happy. She cracked her neck and wiped her nose with her thumb.

‘You on me, little buddy?’

‘Hm.’ Happy nodded as crossed his arms over his chest. ‘I got your back, Em.’

A smirk graced the dragon’s lips as she smashed her fist into her hand, flames leaking out if her digits. 

‘I’m all fired up.’

Mulan nodded her head briefly before she took off towards the road. She turned towards Emma and the others, kneeling down with one knee raised as she held her hands out to give Emma the lift that she required.

Emma huffed out a breath of smoke through her nostrils and took off running towards her friend. Happy and Regina hurriedly followed just as the beast swooped down towards the awaiting Mulan.

The warrior didn’t even flinch as she boosted Emma up into the air. In the same motion, Happy grasped onto the back of Emma’s leather jacket, gripping for dear life as Emma grabbed onto the demon’s chest as it past Mulan. It roared as it missed her by a few inches and took off into the sky as Emma maneuvered to his back.

Fists bursting into flames, Emma brought them up as she briefly let go and then brought them down to ram them into the back of the Chernabog’s neck. A painful roar escaped the beast as he descended towards the ground. Happy lifted Emma just in time as the demon crashed into the hard road, landing with her right next to Regina.

‘Now!’ Emma ordered, simultaneous releasing a blast of light magic whilst Regina released a blast of dark towards the creature.

The Chernabog roared in agony, holding it’s ginormous paw up in order to try and defend himself from the two powerful sorceresses. However, their blasts of magic did little to deter the beast. With one final roar it took off into the sky to regroup.

‘Gods,’ Emma exhaled breathlessly. ‘We barely even stung that thing. And I was giving my all.’

‘Then you need to put some work into your training, Emma,’ scolded Happy with a smirk. ‘That was pretty pathetic if you gave your best.’

Regina rose an eyebrow in her scowling girlfriend’s direction. ‘Remind me why you insist on keeping this furball around?’

The dragon huffed just as the other women joined them out on the streets. Emma sent the exceed on her back a look, but ultimately let the statement for the time being slide.

‘I honestly can’t remember the reason myself.’ 

Emma stared uneasily into the distance where the hell-beast had disappeared. Before she could even think about calling out to Hephaestus, or any other god, she would first have to get rid of the town’s latest problem.

Turning towards Belle, a hard look graced over the blonde’s features, ‘Belle—’

The redhead smiled tightly as she nodded her head in understanding, ‘I’ll see if I can find anything about this Chernabog in the library.’

Ruby raised her hand as though she were a volunteer, ‘I’ll accompany her.’

‘Thanks,’ Emma nodded, turning towards her mother. ‘And Mary Margaret—’

‘Mulan and I will get everyone to safety,’ reassured Mary Margaret. ‘We’re on it.’ 

Emma couldn’t help but grin, ‘Wow. You guys have this all down. Now I don’t feel so nervous about having to leave again.’

Mary Margaret pursed her lips at the statement, ‘We’ll come back to that.’

The women split off from each other to go and carry out the tasks that had been given to each of them. Now all that remained were Emma, Happy and Regina. The dragon couldn’t help but glance nervously in Regina’s direction as she placed her hands onto her hips.

‘Happy,’ Emma called out, motioning with her head towards Belle and Ruby disappearing in the distance, ‘go help them with my journals. I’m bound to have documented this thing somewhere.’

‘Aye sir,’ Happy agreed without hesitation and then taking off after his friends.

A moment passed as Regina crossed her arms firmly over her chest, an indecipherable expression settling onto her features.

‘Well,’ began Regina with a clipped tone. ‘Now that that’s settled, what say you and I figure out a way to clip this bat’s wing before it comes back.’

‘Gina—’ The blonde cut herself off as Regina marched past her, already well on her way towards the mayoral office. 

A sigh escaped the blonde before she forced her feet into movement. She knew that Regina had already been far too emotional publicly and now it was going to take the force of a two-ton truck in order to break through her girlfriend’s walls.

‘Gods,’ muttered Emma, careful not to let the brunette overhear her. ‘I should really get a medal for all the crap I put up with from her high-maintenance ass.’


	4. Emma Begrudgingly Does The Marure Thing

Emma’s had experience with a _lot_ of women being mad at her. It wasn’t as though she wanted them to be, but it was simply in her nature to do stupid things. The list could go on and on and on, but now was neither the time nor did she have the professional experience to get into that psychological issue.

It was safe to say that Regina was upset.

Perhaps _pissed_ was a better word.

The older woman had barged into her office without so much as a word to Emma, leaving the blonde to nervously close the door behind them to place some barrier between them and the outside world.

Boy, was she glad that she told Happy to go with Belle and Ruby.

Regina stared towards the window, hands on her hips as she fumed. All that needed to happen now was for smoke to come out of the brunette’s ears and then Emma could determine just how furious her girlfriend was.

‘Regina,’ Emma began tentatively, shifting uncomfortably from one foot to the other in the middle of the room. ‘Gina, would you please just say _something_? The suspense is killing me.’

The sorceress whirled around on her heels and fixed Emma with a nasty glare that made her wish that she had been the one to go with Belle and Ruby instead of Happy. Emma swallowed thickly as she nervously pressed her two forefingers together and began to twiddle with them nervously.

It was then that Regina strode towards Emma, her heels clicking loudly through the office as her eyes never left the blonde. She then reached out, grabbed ahold of Emma’s belt and proceeded to fiddle with the object in order to free it. Emma rose a confused eyebrow as she watched a look of concentration pass over her girlfriend’s face.

‘Uh...’ Emma tilted her head to the side. ‘What are you doing?’

‘Securing our relationship,’ informed Regina in a tone that said it should have been obvious. ‘You’re not... you’re not galavanting through time without doing so first. I refuse to remain here while you go off to gods know where with gods know who and making me worry that you won’t remain faithful.’

The dragon’s eyes widened in shock as she tried to escape her girlfriend’s grabby hands. ‘Woah! Wait, wait, wait!’ 

She took a step backwards which caused Regina’s hands to slip from her belt. She then took off towards the couch and stepped behind it to place a barrier between herself and Regina. 

‘Clearly,’ Emma reached a hand out in an effort to mentally stop Regina from rounding the furniture, ‘There’s some issues there and I would first like to address that. We also have the issue of the Chernabog, in case you’ve forgotten, that needs to be handled.’

‘We can’t very well do anything without the facts or with everyone still on the streets,’ hissed Regina, moving around the couch to reach the blonde. 

Emma on the other hand moved to where Regina had been standing in a moment earlier, keeping the barrier between them so they could continue their conversation.

‘And we have some time before—Will you just stand still!’ The sorceress stomped her foot impatiently and then gripped the back of the couch. ‘You are acting like a child!’

Emma stared at her with a flabbergasted expression. She slowly began to lift her hand to her chest as she pointed towards herself.

‘I’m— _I_ ’m acting like a child?’ The dragon questioned in disbelief.

‘Yes!’ Regina hissed. ‘It’s just sex, it’s not the loss of your innocence or anything so dramatic. Given that you have two children it’s safe to say that you know the logistics of it.’

The dragon felt as though she had been hit in the back of her head and now she had woken up in some alternate reality. Momentarily, she tried to remember if she had hit her head somewhere during the fight, but deep down she knew that the hell-beast hadn’t landed a single blow on her and neither Regina for that matter.

_Just sex?_

_Logistics?_

_Gods!_

‘Do you even hear yourself?’ Emma growled, crossing her arms over her chest. ‘Sex is a rather big step in a relationship and I’d actually like if we talked about it like two consenting adults before we take said step. Where the hell is this even coming from?’

A scoff escaped Regina, ‘You want to know where _I_ am coming from?’ The brunette straightened herself and crossed her arms over her chest. ‘You’ve been putting off this conversation for the past few weeks and before that you slept with a goddess! An astonishing beautiful one at that.’

‘I _knew_ you were more pissed about that then you let on!’ Emma exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger towards Regina.

‘Of course I’m upset!’ Regina’s eyes flashed with anger. ‘Do you think I enjoy the image of you and that... that whore together? Because I don’t! I can’t stand to think about her touching you intimately when I’ve wanted to do it for so long!’

‘I didn’t exactly _want_ to be with her, you know?’ Emma retorted, narrowing her eyes. ‘I went to you first that night! I was there in your vault and you were with Robin!’

Silence befell them then. It was tense and it rested heavily on their chests. Their breaths were heavy as they stared at one another and tried to calm themselves after the way that the argument had just happened to escalate.

‘We’re not solving anything by rehashing old shit that we’ve already put behind us,’ growled Emma, crossing her arms over her chest. ‘So tell me what’s really going on preferably before I lose my patience or the hell-beast outside decides to eat a dwarf.’

Regina moved her hands to wrap her arms around herself, tears gathering in her eyes. She hated being vulnerable, but she couldn’t help herself whenever it came to Emma. Walls never seemed to keep the blonde out. They only functioned to end up hurting both Regina and Emma.

‘I’m not ready to say goodbye,’ admitted Regina, allowing the tears to spill over her cheeks. ‘I’m not—I’m not strong enough. I don’t know how to carry on with Operation Mongoose when your not here by my side. You’re—You’re a part of my Happy Ending, Emma.’

Emma’s eyes softened immediately, her tense posture evaporating. She then moved towards the couch to effortlessly leap over the furniture. 

Regina remained where she was, only slightly turning to face Emma as she choked on her sobs.

In one short stride, Emma was pulling Regina directly into her arms. She allowed the woman to come completely undone, resolving in tears as she reached up to cling to Emma like a lifeline. There they clung to one another allowing the sorrow and dread that they felt to consume them completely.

‘It’s not going to be forever, you know?’ Emma promised as she gently cupped the back of Regina’s head. ‘I’ll be gone and back before you can even say the word Mongoose.’ The blonde pulled back so that she could look into Regina’s gleaming and warm russet eyes. ‘And I won’t be as long as I was before. A few days, a week tops.’

A mournful sigh escaped Regina as she reached up to dry her eyes, still not satisfied with current events.

‘You and Henry are going to be fine,’ Emma continued to reassure her, placing her hands onto Regina’s shoulders. ‘You’re a smart and bright capable woman who doesn’t need a relationship to define who she is. You don’t need me to help you procure that happy ending, Regina.’ 

The blonde’s smile softened in a way that was only reserved for her love. Emma reached up to cup Regina’s cheek, taking pride in the way that the woman leaned into her touch. She proceeded to wipe away the few stray tears that stuck to Regina’s flawless skin.

Their moment was interrupted when Regina’s cellphone inside of her coat. An annoyed sound escaped the brunette as they broke away from one another. She reached into her pocket and retrieved the ringing device before answering it and pressing it to her ear.

‘What?’ Regina hissed with far more venom than she intended, but she didn’t particularly care what way she came off to the caller on the other end. Especially not after they had interrupted her and Emma.

A look of mild surprise crossed over Regina’s features at the sound of the person on the other end of the call. Behind her, Emma immediately picked up on her body language and then raised a curious eyebrow.

‘Regina?’ Emma questioned. ‘Who is it?’

A smirk graced the sorceress’s lips, ‘The sea bitch.’

* * *

‘Who’s Medusa?’

It was an innocent enough question, asked by none other than _the_ most innocent person in the room. Belle didn’t do anything wrong, especially not for being mildly curious. That didn’t stop Happy from freezing on the spot. He went as far as nearly dropping the journal in his hand all together.

The yellow furball glanced up from his seat on the counter, his eyes wide with shock. Happy was rarely capable of expressions other than his goofy or sheepish smiles, but it was a devastating sight to witness. He sprouted wings and flew to where Belle was standing behind the counter.

Mulan and Ruby shared a look with one another across the room, and they too began to make their way over towards the exceed and redhead. Belle set the book down on the glass counter and motioned to a particularly interesting journal entry. 

Emma wrote in Greek most of the time, paranoid that her documentations could fall into the wrong hands, but she was still the goofy, messy dragon that she always was. That meant that it wasn’t exactly works of art that one would read in museums. It was scribbles and notes; things that made Happy wonder if she herself could even read them.

The name _Medusa_ was like a forbidden word. It was dangerous to say it, especially in the company of one Emma Evangeline Swan. It was a simple word that turned the bubbly blonde into a nightmare even worse than Rumplestiltskin himself.

Happy lifted the journal and shut it firmly; the item disappearing the moment that he did. A hard look had settled on his handsome features and he refused to meet any of the women’s eyes before him. One could see the horror of old memories flashing behind the small creature’s green orbs.

‘Don’t ever mention that name in front of Emma,’ declared the feline firmly. He finally looked up at the three of them, no room for the opportunity of an argument. ‘Not even when it’s life or death.’

‘Jesus,’ muttered Ruby, crossing her arms over her chest. ‘What did this woman do to Em?’

The exceed clenched his jaw, then his fists and barely resisted the urge to snap at the brunette. Happy also rarely became angry, but when it came to defending and protecting Emma, or the name _Medusa_ then he was furious enough to level cities.

‘Nothing,’ retorted Happy. ‘Don’t be so ignorant.’

Mulan raised an eyebrow at the exceed, ‘I don’t think that she meant any offense, Happy.’ The warrior was trying to be as gentle as possible, but it only seemed to harden the small creature. ‘What she means is that she is just curious as to what the tale is behind the name.’

‘I don’t like to talk about it,’ insisted the feline, not budging for even a moment. ‘Neither does Emma. _Especially_ Emma. Don’t ever bring it up again, and don’t mention that you know anything either.’

‘Happy,’ Belle reached for his paw, trying to coax him into sharing the pain in his heart. ‘We _don’t_ know anything.’

The exceed seemed to falter at Belle’s soft blue eyes. It caused him to frown and hesitate in his stubbornness, but he hurriedly recovered within a few seconds.

‘All I’m willing to say is that she is someone that Emma and I cared for very much, and then Poseidon hurt her... and us...’ Happy pursed his lips, his whiskers moving accordingly. 

‘What?’ Ruby questioned with a raised eyebrow. ‘Was Medusa like one of Emma’s ex girlfriend’s?’

Happy shook his head. ‘It wasn’t like that. We were all friends; good friends. Now, we don’t like Poseidon, Poseidon doesn’t like us and I’m scarred for the rest of my natural life. End of story.’

‘If it’s that bad,’ sighed Ruby, placing her hands onto her hips, ‘We won’t bring it up again and we won’t force either of you to talk about it. Promise.’

Happy still appeared displeased that he had to think of the gruesome topic in the first place, but he nodded his head in agreement. ‘Let’s get back to work. There’s more important things at hand than Emma and I’s past emotional trauma.’

* * *

A scowl graced Emma’s features as she now approached Cruella and Ursula on the shorelines. She knew Ursula of old, the sea goddess and Poseidon’s favorite daughter. Had she been a man, the god just might have given her his entire empire instead of giving it all to Triton, the runt of the litter, but his only son.

Emma might just dislike the goddess as much as she disliked Poseidon, the sexist bastard that he was, for she too plundered and took that which didn’t belong to her. However, the only reason why Emma didn’t attempt to strike the sea creature down where she stood was out of respect for all she had done for their mutual friend, Medusa.

Regina hadn’t liked the fact that Emma had gone alone, no back-up, and no Happy. She thought Emma to be completely defenseless if they tried anything or if the Chernabog attacked again given the dragon’s proximity to two of the most darkest hearts in the realms. However, the last thing that Emma needed was for the beast to attack again without them having a plan of some sort.

The only one that they currently did possess was Emma taking the form of her dragon self. Which wasn’t a very good one if she needed to go portal jumping in the near future.

‘My old friend,’ greeted the goddess, a smile lighting up her beautiful features. ‘It’s been ages.’

‘Eons, to be exact,’ huffed the dragon, baring her canines. She nodded her head towards Cruella, narrowing her eyes. ‘What’s with pound puppy?’

‘It’s nice to see you too, darling,’ Cruella smiled mischievously. ‘Hadn’t you heard?’ She threw her arm around Ursula’s shoulders. ‘We’re besties now. Traveling the world as we please, messing with humanity as we please.’

‘Who’d be idiotic enough to grant you immortality?’ Emma raised an eyebrow, glancing in between the two women. ‘Wait, don’t answer that. I might just hear something that I hadn’t wanted to.’

‘We’re not here to reminisce in the old days,’ scoffed Ursula, moving from Cruella’s touch as she shot her companion a warning look. ‘I’m here because my father requests your presence at his palace.’

Emma raised an eyebrow, ‘What for?’

The sea witch shrugged her shoulders, not caring the slightest whatever her father could want from one of the gods’ champions. In fact, she even seemed bored by it all.

‘Does it look like my father speaks his mind to me?’ Ursula questioned with a raised eyebrow. ‘He much too of a traditionalist to tell his eldest daughter what troubles him these days. Especially after mother’s passing.’

At the mention of the queen’s passing, Emma dropped to her knee and bowed her head in respect. ‘Queen, and goddess of the sea, Amphitrite. May she rest in peace.’ 

Despite Emma’s disliking of both women in front of her, she knew better than to disrespect the dead. Especially when it was a goddess’s whose life had been cut short or, well, cut off in the case of immortals. The gods and goddesses were not untouchable by death. Only a god could kill a god. 

Demigods possessed at least half of that. What made them so much more dangerous were that they were half human as well and far more driven than any immortal could ever be. It was how Amphitrite met her doom. At the hands of a child of Hades.

‘Oh, get up,’ huffed Ursula with the roll of her eyes. ‘It’s been years.’

Emma scowled rising to her full height once more. ‘And risk the wrath of the god of the seas by not showing respect?’ The dragon growled. ‘Clearly he has raised an ignorant little brat.’

‘Careful, beastie,’ warned Cruella. ‘You’d do well to keep your tongue before I carve it out.’

Emma bit the inside of her cheek, and did what she was told. ‘I’d love to go with you, but I have a minor predicament I’m dealing with. A Chernabog has shown up in town and it’s after my love.’

Ursula tsked as she shook her head, crossing her arms over her chest. ‘My, my, my,’ she tutted. ‘Broke a few of the gods wishes, have we? I thought you to be an obedient little pet?’

The dragon rolled her eyes and flipped the goddess the bird. If the action upset Ursula, then she gave no indication to it.

‘Very well,’ said Ursula, drawling her words dramatically and in a bored manner. ‘I know how to deal with this pest.’ The goddess gained a considering look, reaching for one of her many tentacles as she began to stroke it gently. ‘First, you must give me your word that you will reach my father’s palace in three days time. When I go back I at least want to have something to tell him.’

Reluctantly, Emma nodded her head, ‘That’s fair.’

‘Also,’ added Cruella. ‘We want your word that no one will disturb us in the time that we spent in this town. We want no trouble whatsoever.’

The dragon frowned, wondering whatever they would want to stay in Storybrooke for. ‘What could you possibly want to do in Storybrooke? It’s far more boring than any other place in the Enchanted Forest, and murder is harder to get away with.’

‘Ah-ah,’ Cruella waved her finger. ‘That’s for us to know and you to find out.’

Knowing that she had little say in the matter, she nodded her head in agreement. ‘No one will bother you,’ reassured Emma. ‘That is if you give me the information that I want; how to defeat this unbeatable beast.’

Cruella and Ursula shared an amused look with one another, satisfied that they had gotten what they had wanted from the blonde. They then turned back towards Emma, a smug smile gracing the sea goddesses lips.

‘The Chernabog is made of magic,’ informed Ursula, continuously stroking her tentacle as though it were a cat or a pet.

‘Gods,’ groaned Emma, tilting her eyes skywards. ‘'Gina could have told me that.’

‘Hold on,’ interjected Cruella just as Ursula opened her mouth to clarify her meaning. ‘'Gina? You mean Regina?’

Emma clenched her jaw and instantly knew that she gave away far more than she should have. Especially if the way the villain’s face lit up was any indication.

‘You’re in bed with Regina?’ Cruella repeated. ‘As in the Evil Queen? That 'Gina?’ The witch questioned with wide shocked eyes.

‘Don’t call her that,’ Emma growled, taking a step forward as she bared her canines once more. 

She snapped her teeth in Cruella’s direction, a warning to make the villain aware of just who she had insulted; her mate, her love. Dragon’s didn’t treat anyone too kindly who even remotely threatened their loved ones. It wasn’t that she owned Regina in anyway, but instinct often won out over her rational mind.

Emma’s eyes flashed dangerously as she narrowed her eyes at the witch, ‘Because then it will be me who takes a tongue.’

Cruella smiled excitedly, ‘You mean to tell me that our mutual villain has gone and seduced the savior?’

‘Not that it’s your business,’ huffed Emma, narrowing her eyes dangerously. ‘But Regina’s turned over a new leaf, she’s not like you. Not like either of you.’

Ursula rolled her eyes, ‘Would you like to know how to kill my Uncle’s pet, or would you rather continue gossiping over your love life and whatever kinky things her majesty is into?’

A sigh escaped the dragon, ‘Sorry, please continue.’

‘As I was saying,’ the sea witch sighed dramatically, ‘The Chernabog is made of magic. Some of the darkest magic ever known to the gods itself. It seeks the person with the heart that has the darkest potential, and not necessarily a person who had done bad things but simply a person who has the potential for great evil.’

‘Okay, where are you going with this?’ Emma question with the raise of an eyebrow. ‘Because I’ve heard this spiel before.’

‘If only your wit matched your looks,’ sighed Cruella as she shook her head in disappointment. She leaned over to Ursula. ‘Do you think that Regina’s simply interested in the beast because she is just that in bed? Those strong hands must be good for something other than just to pick her nose.’

Ursula wasn’t deterred, ‘Great darkness can be fought with equal amount of goodness. In legend, The Chernabog was defeated by sunrise and the ringing of sacred bells.’

Emma shook her head, ‘Sunrise is hours away and this thing can tear through buildings as though they were built from straw, and we’re unfortunately fresh out of sacred bells. There was a Spell of Shattered Sight and—’

‘Yes, yes,’ Ursula held up a hand, ‘I needn’t see the image of what the dwarves had done to defile the Church’s bell again, thank you very much. The view from Olympus was horrific enough.’ The goddess paused in thought, ‘There is another way. This is the Land Without Magic, after all.’

Catching on to what Ursula was implying, Emma’s eyes widened, ‘You mean the town line?’

‘Precisely,’ nodded the sea witch. ‘If you could lead the beast over it, then there wouldn’t be a beast to worry over any longer. Your problem will be solved and you could be on your merry way once more.’

‘Yeah,’ Emma nodded. ‘But do you think it’ll work? I mean, there is some creatures that have adapted to—’

‘The Chernabog is an ancient creature that comes from our world,’ insisted Ursula, her gaze meeting Emma’s with disinterest. 

Her words were condescending and were meant to cut into Emma’s ego; breaking her down mentally. However, Emma’s ego had never before been that of a teenaged boy. So, naturally, she simply took the words in stride, smirking pridefully.

‘It has taken creatures in your world eons to adapt and change accordingly. If the Chernabog is dropped into it without going through the necessary precautions, then it will wither and die. It doesn’t have an immune system, if you will, against your world’s environment.’

Emma nodded her head in understanding, ‘Thanks for the advice, Ursula.’ Then, she added with a teasing smile. ‘Guess I owe you an offering.’

The goddess smirked, ‘It wouldn’t kill you to burn a respectably sized oxen for me once in a while. Mortals rarely ever bring praise to the Goddess of the Sea.’ She and Ursula moved towards the ocean, a portal opening up in the water. ‘Do tell the townspeople that we’ll be paying them a visit soon, dear.’

Emma sighed as she watched the two witches disappear, their cackling filling her ears as they did.


	5. Waiting For Everything To Go To Hell

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, dearies!
> 
> So, I really suck at replying to comments, but I just gotta say that you guys are what make my day. Every time I get a lengthy, juicy piece of positive feedback I smile like I’m actually the sun, so thank you.

**_Storybrooke, Blanchard Loft—Recent Past_ **

‘What?’ 

Mary Margaret could feel an age old knot begin to form in her stomach. Emma’s words that had been meant to reassured her accomplished the opposite of what they had intended to do.

From across the kitchen counter she could see David frowning at her with concern in his eyes, but she couldn’t address it with the cellphone still pressed to her ear. After Emma had informed that she would need to leave again, the woman had been unsettled and worried. Now, the fear and anguish that she had felt was multiplied ten over.

‘Okay.’ The pixie haired woman pursed her lips and tried to calm her nerves. Just enough so that Emma wouldn’t think anything was wrong on her end. ‘Be careful. Both you and Regina.’

She hung up the phone and as she looked up into David’s eyes, the knot only worsened.

‘They found a way to stop the beast.’

David leaned forward on the counter, still oblivious to the turmoil that was going on inside of his wife. ‘Well, that’s great.’ The prince’s frown deepened as a hesitant look passed over his handsome features. ‘Why aren’t you smiling?’

‘Because Cruella and Ursula... Were here, and they’re going to be back.’

That statement gained the reaction that the woman had been looking for. David’s eyes widened as realization dawned on him.

**_Storybrooke, Main Road—Present_ **

Regina Mills had never imagined that she would ever be driving her girlfriend’s yellow bug. It was what one would plainly call a metal coffin on wheels. If she were so lucky, it would be made of metal instead of the tin that she predicted that it was.

The roars of the Chernabog in the distance only seemed to encourage her fears and the sick feeling that festered in her stomach. For the first time in her long life, she didn’t want to die. She didn’t want to leave Henry, didn’t want to leave Helena and she definitely didn’t want to leave Emma.

Gods, did she love Emma. It was either a constant throbbing of want that consumed her entire being or it hurt so much that she couldn’t function. Like she had told Emma earlier, the woman was a part of her happy ending, and she truly hoped that she was a part of the blonde’s.

Sighing, Regina glanced around at the bug’s interior, then at the hideous paint job tented to the horrid creation. Whilst she truly did love Emma, her tastes were at best questionable. The woman wore clothing that had everyone ogling at her wherever she went. The sorceress could only imagine what it must have been like in the Enchanted Forest. The mere thought brought a scowl to the former queen’s features. Then there was the precious bug with its boldly chosen color of yellow.

Regina sighed, ‘What on earth made her choose yellow?’

**_What?_ **

The sorceress nearly overturned the car at the sound of Emma’s voice ringing in her mind. She hesitated for a moment, then found herself insane enough to moronically ask, ‘Emma?’

**_What’s wrong with the color of my bug?_ **

‘Where... Where are you?’

As though on cue, a roar tore through the air, making Regina swerve the car once more. She could recognize that majestic sound in her sleep. If the sorceress had the time to swoon then she most likely would have.

**_Where do you think, sweetheart? Pissing off this accursed thing so that he’ll rather follow me than you at the last moment. We gotta time this thing right, I’m not letting you die today._ **

‘You have telepathic magic?’ Regina questioned in surprise. 

**_'Gina, I’d love to give you a first hand lesson in the enigmatic person that is me, myself and I, but I’m kinda in the middle of something._ **

Regina opened her mouth to speak, but all that came forth was the sudden yelp that she released when Emma and the Chernabog landed behind her, barely missing the yellow bug as the two beasts skidded across the tar road and uprooted several trees as they continued to move.

Another roar tore from both Emma and the Chernabog as they tussled for a moment completely out of view before the dragon burst back into the air with the creature of darkness hot on her tail.

**_Besides, is this honestly the time to question my tastes? I like yellow. I stole it._ **

‘I’m sorry,’ Regina growled, speeding up the Volkswagen. She then took a deep breath to calm herself. ‘I’m just trying to take my mind off from thinking about the possibility of being some demon’s lunch.

**_You’re not going to be, alright? I’m here to protect you, and if all else fails, I’ll just drag this thing through a portal or something. So, we have a Plan B._ **

‘I’m glad your confident,’ the sorceress scoffed sardonically. ‘You’re not the one who has a target painted on her back.’

Emma and the Chernabog skidded across the right side of the bug, leveling several trees in the process as the momentum of their flight continued to propel them forward. For the most part, the creature of hell collided with the ground far more often than Emma herself. The dragon continued to give the creature quite the beating as she did her best to sink her teeth into the demon as often as she could.

Out of the right hand mirror of the bug, Regina could see Emma taking off into flight once more with the Chernabog close to follow. The dragon continued to speed up, keeping a far enough distance between the beast and herself.

‘Hang in there,’ instructed Regina. ‘Just a little while longer now, I’m almost there.’

**_I can do this all day!_** Emma’s smug voice rang in Regina’s mind, causing the sorceress to roll her eyes.

‘Until you run out of magic, then we’ll be in quite the pinch if you plummet a thousand feet from the sky.’ Regina scoffed. ‘What that demon will do to me will be pale in comparison.’

**_Calm down, will ya? Being a cocky bastard helps me keep my head, it boost my morale. Why do you think Happy and I are so close to the point where we can’t even function without each other. He keeps me fighting, keeps me going through everything._ **

Regina seemed to hesitate at that. She had never cared to define what the small creature actually meant to her girlfriend or how important he was for her psyche. The sorceress wanted to say something, perhaps even apologize for scolding the dragon, but she didn’t even have a choice herself. 

The bug skidded to a stop, the town line a few feet away now. She teleported herself in front of the line, a determined look on her face as she stared to where Emma was barreling towards her with the Chernabog not far behind.

Placing her delicate fingers into her mouth, the sorceress gave two sharp whistles to gain the attention of the beast. The Chernabog suddenly looked to her due to the sound, momentarily forgetting the anger that he was directing towards the dragon. 

‘Hey!’ Regina shouted, waving her arms wildly to keep the beast’s attention on her. 

Emma suddenly disappeared in a cloud of white smoke, only to reappear behind the Chernabog. The dragon opened her mouth as she sucked in a deep breath, an odd coloring of green filling her mouth in the process. Then, without warning, a roar tore through her throat as an obscene amount of fire escaped Emma’s mouth. The attack collided with the Chernabog and propelled him directly over the town line. In an instant, the beast dissolved before Regina’s very eyes and disappeared from existence forever.

A relieved breath escaped the former queen as Emma landed next to the yellow bug. The large dragon huffed smoke from her nostrils, then just as Regina turned to face her she sneezed. Luckily the beast had the sense to turn her head in the direction of the woods, completely uprooting some trees from the force.

Emma shook her head, then proceeded to do the same with the rest of her body as though a shrill ran down her spine.

Regina couldn’t help but laugh breathlessly as she moved closer towards the beast, watching as Emma’s golden-rimmed, green slitted orbs connected with hers. Despite the knowledge of knowing that the creature was Emma, her girlfriend, she somehow seemed different from the goofball that Regina had grown to love. In that form, Emma just seemed to carry herself with more pride, with more self-respect, as though she were royalty.

The sorceress stared in awe as Emma lowered her head, almost as if she were bowing it in respect and love. A soft trilling sound emanated from the dragon’s throat which encouraged Regina to only move closer and closer until her hands finally connected with Emma’s taut, leathery skin.

A satisfied breath escaped Emma’s nostrils, not strong enough to blow Regina over, but strong enough to blow Regina’s hair in all kinds of directions. 

Normally, Regina would scowl, but she couldn’t find it in her heart at that moment. She lay her head against Emma’s skin and released a sigh in content as she closed her eyes.

**_I love you._ **

The sorceress pulled away to look back up into Emma’s intelligent eyes. She couldn’t help the smile that graced her features.

‘I love you too, Emma.’

A large amount of white smoke enveloped the dragon as she shrank down to her human form. She found herself standing in front of Regina, staring down into her russet orbs. Regina’s hands moved to cup her love’s cheeks, tracing her thumbs over the pale skin. The blonde pulled the sorceress into her arms and covered her lips with her own, breathing in all that was the woman that she loved.

* * *

‘You know, ma, the last time I left, you seemed to take your time in helping me pack. Now it seems as though you couldn’t get rid of me any faster.’ Emma declared in a amused voice, glancing back at her pixie haired mother as the woman proceeded to push her in the direction of her family.

There was little to convince Regina Mills to stay behind whilst Emma and Happy went off on their latest adventure. Nor could they convince Henry to stay behind in order to actually complete a full year of school. Now, it seemed to be a family trip or perhaps a vacation given that little Senna couldn’t be left at home with her grandparents.

Therefore, Henry and Regina each sported a travel pack of their own, dressed in traveling clothes appropriate for the occasion of leaping into a realm that didn’t have such things as in door plumbing. Even Senna was prepared for the journey, safely tucked in a makeshift carrier consisting out of a blanket that was tied around Emma’s chest. The raven haired slept peacefully on, blissfully unaware of her mother’s odd lifestyle choice.

Emma’s never been on a family trip before and despite the dangers of the Enchanted Forest and how little she wanted anyone besides herself and Happy to have to handle any deities, Emma couldn’t find it in herself to say no. She would rather have them with her than leave them behind in Storybrooke waiting for her like some household from the 1950’s, if that even remotely made sense.

‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ Mary Margaret hesitated, but it only lasted a second. ‘The quicker you leave, the quicker you’ll be able to return.’ The pixie haired woman insisted just as David came up next to her with little Neal seated on his hips.

Belle, Mulan and Ruby followed suit, each there to bid their farewells to them.

‘Yeah,’ agreed Happy, landing on Emma’s shoulder with a curious look. ‘But you and Mr. Dad have been acting awfully weird since Emma talked to Cruella and Ursula.’

David’s face paled as he briefly glanced towards his wife, sharing a look with her before he turned back to face them. ‘N—No, we haven’t.’

‘Oh, for heaven’s sake,’ Regina rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. ‘Those two might be the most vilest of creatures you’ve ever had the unfortunate luck of meeting, but their essentially harmless. Goddesses are not allowed to kill mortals and less so immortals that the gods have briefly shown favor to. You’ll be able to handle them in the time that we’re gone.’

‘Yeah,’ added Emma, turning around to face her parents. ‘We’ll be a few days, a week tops. You don’t have to worry about a thing.’

‘Besides,’ added Ruby. ‘Emma’s shown me enough tricks of the trade, you know. I even know some razzle-dazzle myself. As does Mulan.’

The warrior rolled her eyes, ‘I doubt that brewing a few potions to smear on one’s sword can count as sorcery, Black Wolf.’

The she-wolf narrowed her eyes at her friend, ‘We’re trying to reassure them that everything’s going to be fine. Who’s side are you on?’

‘The side of which does not lie.’

‘ _Oookay_ ,’ Belle interjected before either of them could continue the argument. ‘That’s enough of that. We’re here to wish them safe travels, not make them worry that we’ll end up burning the town down before they return.’

‘Thank you, Belle,’ nodded Emma. ‘I hadn’t been worried about that, but now it will be one of the only things that I think about.’

The bibliophile winced, ‘Sorry, Em.’

‘We should get going,’ declared Henry, glancing down at a map that he had managed to snatch from Happy’s backpack. ‘If we want to reach Poseidon’s palace in three days we need to pick up the pace.’

A groan escaped Emma, ‘You’re one of _those_ kind of travelers.’

A scoff escaped Regina, ‘And what’s wrong with punctuality?’

Emma turned and made a circular motion with her palm. A portal opened in an instant, beginning to swirl with bright colors of orange and red, sparks flying in all directions.

‘I’m not saying that there’s anything wrong with it. All I’m saying is that there’s two kinds of travelers; those who smell the roses, and those who completely ignore any and all sights to reach their destination. The kid needs to live a little.’

They walked into the portal, bickering and teasing as they usually did. Already having said their farewells. And unlike the first time that Emma had suddenly left Storybrooke to go traveling, she felt completely whole.

* * *

Nightfall had befallen the quaint town of Storybrooke. The starry sky hung overhead as crickets and other night creatures echoed in the silence. Packs of mistwolves roamed in the dark corners of the forest, unicorns slept peacefully in their herd as the hours drawled on.

At the town line, Cruella and Ursula stood in front of Rumplestiltskin as the man stepped over the line, tossing his cane aside with a satisfied smirk. The two women turned to smirk at one another, their eyes lighting up with mischief.

‘You didn’t think we would abandon you, now, did you, Dark One?’ Ursula teased, placing her hands onto her hips. ‘We may be villains, but we do have our morals. What do you think happens to a goddess when she breaks her word?’

‘Well, I’d imagine she would kiss all of her beloved gifts, and immortality, goodbye,’ Rumple looked in between them, raising an eyebrow. ‘It’s why I didn’t worry myself.’

‘Alright,’ drawled Cruella. ‘What do we do now?’

Rumple smirked, ‘Now, we begin our task. It’s simple, really. Continue to repent your wicked ways. Make friends. Build relationships.‘

‘And what will you be doing?’ Cruella inquired.

‘I’ll continue my work behind the scenes, of course.’

The goddess shared an unimpressed look with her companion, annoyance sparkling in her brown orbs. ‘Sounds like we’re doing everything, again.’

The Dark One paused, his lip twitching as he tried to reign himself in instead of attack either of the two troublemakers.

‘How do you think we got in here? And how do you think that Chernabog was released?’ Cruella and Ursula shared a look of uncertainty. ‘It was me. I’m the Oxford professor who translated the spell for Belle, the spell that released the fairies and also happened to unleash that monstrosity.’ Gold’s confidence radiated off him in waves, a proud smile making its way onto his face. ‘So I ask you, consider what I was able to do on the outside, at my lowest point, without magic. And then consider what I’m able to do in here. So maybe we should stop bickering and get on with it. See, our team is one member short. It’s time to reunite the band.’

‘Y—You don’t mean—’ Cruella stuttered, eyes growing wide with shock and a mix of fear.

‘Oh, yes, dearie,’ Gold finished. ‘Maleficent.’

Ursula pursed her lips. ‘I don’t like it. Dead or alive, we got a bigger problem... Regina.’

‘And what makes you say that?’ Gold scoffed. ‘She and Miss Swan has gone on vacation.’

‘And when the return?’ Ursula questioned. ‘That beast was unable to defeat her. As bad as Maleficent is, Regina’s dark heart is far worse.’

Gold rolled his eyes. ‘You are so filled with assumptions. Regina is not the one we have to worry about.’

‘What?’ Ursula gaped.

‘That beast did seek out the heart with the greatest potential for darkness, yes, but it was wasn’t going after Regina.’ Gold paused, the smirk on his features gaining a dark turn. ‘It was after Emma Swan.’


	6. Roadtrip And Is Omission A Lie?

**_Storybrooke, Heritage Park—Recent Past_ **

In the woods, on the outskirts of the humble fairytale town known as Storybrooke, Cruella and Ursula meet in the rain with Charming and Snow White. The latter’s expressions far too neutral for their usually hopeful and cheerful personalities.

‘Well, well, well,’ Cruella drawled as they approached the two royals. ‘Look who’s here. It’s been a long time.’

‘We gotta talk,’ declared David, not one to stretch a conversation out any longer than it needed to be.

‘Oh,’ scoffed Cruella, glancing to the sea witch next to her, ‘so the prince wants a chat? Okay, handsome. Talk.’

‘This is our town,’ began Mary Margaret. ‘If you’ve really turned over a new leaf, then you’re more than welcome to stay.’

‘My,’ smirked Ursula, ‘aren’t we generous?’

‘On one condition.’ The pixie haired woman turned towards Cruella and gave her a steely look. A shiver ran down the villain’s spine at the darkness that shone in the woman’s eyes. ‘No one must ever know what happened between us in the Enchanted Forest. And if you say one single word to anyone, especially to Emma when she returns... Well, you won’t have to worry about the Evil Queen. I’ll rip your hearts out myself.’

**_Enchanted Forest, Somewhere In The Middle Of Nowhere—Present_ **

‘We’re _not_ lost!’ Emma growled.

Happy squared himself up, floating himself right in front of his best friend, ‘We are too! You don’t have the slightest of ideas where you’re leading us! Next thing you’ll know, we’ll end up at the bottom of a cliff!’

Their bickering continued as a sigh left Regina’s lips. She wasn’t entirely sure what she had been expecting when she, Henry and little Senna came along on this trip, but she was quite certain getting lost wasn’t at the top of her list.

They had set up camp the previous night, seemingly in the right direction, but ever since they left the camp that morning they had been walking for hours and had passed the same tree at least three or four times. During the debacle, Helena had been passed between Henry and the sorceress herself to allow Emma and Happy to figure out where exactly they needed to go. However, the little one was becoming restless and Regina suspected that she would need to be fed soon or receive a change of diaper.

‘Do you think that this is how most of their trips were?’ Henry questioned next to his mother, shifting his baby sister in his grasp as she continued to babble on and on about anything and nothing at all. 

‘Oh, I think that this is how _all_ of their trips were,’ informed Regina. ‘Now, Henry, be a dear and keep an eye on your sister.’

Henry raised an eyebrow in his mother’s direction as she uncrossed her arms and began to walk in Emma and Happy’s direction. ‘What are you going to do?’

Briefly, Regina turned towards her son, ‘Pay attention, sweetheart, because this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to learn how to drag your significant other around by the ear. Which you will only get to use when you’re much, much older. Though, as I always say, you’re never too young or too old to learn something new.’

The boy hesitated, then nodded, ‘Yes, ma’am.’

Regina smiled in satisfaction before she returned on her path towards the two arguing friends. She walked right up to them and did exactly as she had informed Henry that she would; she grabbed Emma by her ear and then took the map from her grasp in the same swift movement.

‘Ow! 'Gina, that’s my ear!’

‘ _Really?_ ’ Regina drawled sardonically. ‘I hadn’t noticed. I thought it was your hand, but since I have your attention—are the two of you going to continue arguing like children, or are we going to continue? Because if I recall correctly, we have less than two days left to get to Poseidon’s palace. That’s not counting the detour that we have to make in the process.’

The sorceress glared at dragon and exceed, watching in satisfaction as they fell ashamedly silent. She then glanced to the map in her grasp before a scowl graced her beautiful features.

‘Well, _here_ in lies the problem,’ spat the former queen. ‘You two morons have had the map upside down the _entire_ time.’

Emma and Happy both moved to see what Regina was referring to, their brows furrowed in confusion. As they took a once over of the map, goofy smiles began to grace their features as they looked up towards one another.

‘ _Oooh!_ ’ They declared in unison.

‘For the love of the gods,’ Regina rolled her eyes. ‘It’s a miracle either one of you managed to get anywhere.’

‘Why do we need to take a detour anyways?’ Henry questioned with a frown, thinking it now safe to move towards his mothers and friend. ‘It’s at least a day’s journey to this village and the passage that leads us to Poseidon’s palace is then another day’s journey from there.’

‘True,’ nodded Emma, crossing her arms over her chest. ‘However, I’m a fire dragon. Fire and water doesn’t mix very well. I can’t open this passage because it was only created for people that live in Atlantica or have water magic. So, tell me, smarty pants. What do _you_ suggest we do?’

Henry’s eyes widened in realization, ‘We should find someone who _can_ open the passage.’

‘Precisely,’ nodded Happy. ‘It just so happens that a friend of ours is a water dragon. She’s the chief of the village that we’re heading to. She also has Poseidon’s favor, so he’s less likely to drown us when we head down the super secret passageway.’

‘"Drown us"?’ Regina parroted with wide eyes, turning towards Emma. ‘I thought you said that Poseidon summoned you through Ursula. Why would he drown us when he’s the one who had asked you to the palace?’

Emma shrugged, ‘The god’s complicated. He does as he pleases and rarely ever gives jack squat about what’s fair and what isn’t fair. Not to mention he’s one of the most unpredictable deities.’

Regina gave Emma a deadpanned expression, ‘Remind me again _why_ we’re doing this trip if Poseidon could just kill us at any time?’

‘Hey, I don’t like it anymore than you do, but refusing the gods, especially given the fact that I’m on thin ice as it is, is not only suicide but a sure sentence to an eternity of damnation. I like my liver just where it is, thank you very much.’ She moved fo take the map from Regina, but the brunette pulled it from reach.

‘I’ll take it from here, dear,’ informed Regina, tilting her nose into the air. ‘You two imbeciles have done quite enough to lead us astray. You two may take turns with Senna now.’

Henry handed Senna over to his flabbergasted mother, grinning as he moved to follow next to the other. 

A huh sound escaped the raven haired girl as she stared off after her brother and Regina.

‘Yeah, Mini Emma,’ agreed Happy. ‘I’m a little confused by what just happened too.’

**_Storybrooke, Granny’s Diner_ **

As always _Granny’s_ diner was nothing if not occupied during the lunch hour. People sat around the tables in all shapes and sizes, happily being served by one of the long list of waitresses that filled Ruby’s position during the time that she had been away as well as the days she spent helping Belle around the shop.

Cruella and Ursula had each taken a seat at the counter as they glared at Granny behind it, having been waiting for their order of drinks for the past half an hour. The older woman had been ignoring them for the amount of time that they had been perched on the barstools.

Ever since the pair had entered the quaint little town they’ve had done nothing but put up with dirty looks from all sides. Though they didn’t particularly care. After all, they weren’t in Storybrooke to make friends or even to be accepted into the community. The life of immortals were what is it was; lonely and often boring.

‘Uh, darling’ Cruella held up a finger, trying to grab the old woman’s attention. ‘How much longer for those drinks?’

Will entered the diner, heading directly towards the counter, not even sparing a glance at the two villains. ‘Hello, Mum.’ The thief greeted with a smile. ‘Usual, please.’

Granny smiled and reached for the styrofoam cup behind the counter. ‘You betcha.’ She handed the drink to the man. ‘I hope ye’ve been staying out of trouble. Emma and Ruby weren’t exactly pleased after the fissure incident in the library. Those harpies nearly put 'em both in the hospital, ye ken?’

‘That wasn’t me fault,’ defended Will with a pointed look. ‘How was I supposed to know that the white rabbit would have opened the wrong door? I had a good talking to with him, so rest assured it will not happen again.’

‘Mmhmm.’ Granny gave Knave a pointed look. ‘It better not.’

Will gave the older woman a sheepish look, ‘Aye, Mum. Sorry, Mum.’

Cruella and Ursula had been watching the exchange with wide shocked eyes. Turning towards her friend, Cruella scowled as she continued to glare at Granny. ‘You know, if that old bag still wolfed out, I’d turn her into a coat for my collection.’

‘Come on,’ encouraged Ursula, narrowing her eyes at the former she-wolf. ‘Let’s take out business elsewhere.’

The two immortals rose from their seats and then made for the door, blissfully unaware of Charming and Snow that were watching them from their frequented booth. When the two witches were out of view as well as earshot, Charming turned towards his wife.

‘We need a plan here; a way to deal with our latest crisis _before_ Emma and the others come home.’

‘Agreed,’ nodded Mary Margaret. ‘How though? Emma made a deal with them that we can’t bother them in any way. We might be putting her at risk if we break it.’

‘Yeah, but she never said anything about not bothering them if they’re doing something _illegal_ or if we suspect them of such,’ countered David. ‘We’re not breaking any rules if we’re technically just following procedures of this world.’

Mary Margaret smiled, ‘That’s a good idea. Let’s go then.’ Just as the pixie haired woman rose to her feet, her cellphone began to chime in her pocket. Frowning she reached for it, just glancing at the caller ID before she answered, ‘Ruby?’

‘ _Hey, MM..._ ’ the brunette trailed off, almost as if she were wincing on the other side of the line. ‘ _Listen, uh, we got a bit of a situation here at the shop. I, uh, was wondering if you could, uh, come over, maybe bring David too?_ ’

‘What?’ Mary Margaret frowned in confusion. ‘What’s happened? Are you guys okay?’

‘ _Oh, yeah._ ’ The pixie haired woman could imagine her friend nodding her head adamantly. ‘ _No, we’re just fine. You don’t have to worry about us or anything, but... uh... I really think that you guys should head over. As in right now._ ’

‘I’m—I’m on my way...’ Mary Margaret trailed off as she locked eyes with her husband. ‘David has an errand to run.’

‘ _That’s fine... We can just fill him in later..._ ’

‘What? Ruby—’

Before the pixie haired woman’s brows furrowed even deeper as her friend ended the call. 

‘Well... that was strange...’ Mary Margaret tucked her phone away as she returned her eyes to David. ‘Ruby needs help at the shop. You follow after Cruella and Ursula, and I’ll see what’s going on with our residential werewolf.’

David nodded his head in understanding, ‘On it. Call me if you find out what’s up at the shop.’

* * *

Mary Margaret, Ruby and Mulan stood staring at a conscious yet gagged Zelena Mills. The woman was perched on a single chair that Ruby or Mulan must have dragged her on after restraining her. She was scowling at them with a ferocity that would have put them all in the ground had her powers not been restrained with the magical cufflink around her wrist.

The first question that came to the queen’s mind was how the redhead had survived for this long inside a hidden room, but the plates scattered around them along with the mugs told her that she had been somehow fed during the ordeal. 

Though she could have lived without the knowledge of where the witch had been using the bathroom.

She could only imagine what Ruby was going through given the she-wolf’s keen senses.

It wasn’t a large room and barely any light leaked in for a small window. It must be somewhere beneath the street in front of the shop given that the pathway through bookcase had led down below the floor.

Zelena had seen better days. Her skin was a sickly yellow color due to the lack of sunlight she had been receiving. Although she didn’t seem to be inflicted by malnutrition, but the ever present scabs underneath her ragged clothing told her exactly what Rumplestiltskin had been doing to the woman.

Mary Margaret might not necessarily like the witch, especially after what she had put their family through by killing Neal and then kidnapping her and Charming’s son, but she didn’t wish torture on anyone. Especially not what Gold had most likely put her through.

From the stairwell, they heard the sound of heels clicking on the hardwood. Belle entered the room with a concerned expression on her beautifully pale features.

‘I managed to get rid of Cruella and Ursula, but I think that they took something from the shop,’ informed the bibliophile regretfully. ‘I called David and told him what happened, but I left... this out.’

‘Good,’ nodded Mary Margaret. ‘David can handle the other two witches for now. We’ll manage with this one. After all, I don’t want to worry him anymore than he already is.’

‘Well, he’s going to be _thrilled_ once he finds out about this,’ scoffed Ruby, moving to place her hands on her hips. ‘What are we going to do with her?’

‘First things first,’ Mulan began determinedly, motioning towards the red haired woman. ‘We need to tend to her wounds before anything else. Rumplestiltskin has done quite the number on her.’

The witch recoiled at the sound of the beast’s name as though it could physically bring her harm. However, as soon as the fear crossed her eyes it disappeared as quickly as it came, no doubt her version of a brave face.

Mary Margaret felt her heart go out towards the woman despite herself. She seemed so small and broken in that moment that the pixie haired woman felt herself instantly reminded of Regina. After all, she was the former Evil Queen’s blood. The only blood that she had left. If she had a chance at grace then why couldn’t she?

A sigh escaped the woman as she pinched the bridge of her nose, knowing that Charming was not going to be pleased, perhaps none of the heroes.

She turned to Mulan.

The warrior frowned as she caught her gaze, watching as a grimacing smile began to form on her friend’s face.

‘I don’t think that I am going to like where this is going,’ Mulan said.

**_Off The Shores of The Enchanted Forest, Motunui_ **

Emma threw herself out of the boat the moment that they landed on the shore. Her stomach was churning wildly as it made its discomfort known to her. The dragon didn’t particularly care how pathetic she looked as she crawled on the sandy beach, trying to get as far away from the method of transportation as she possibly could.

Her family was calmer than she herself was as they climbed over the edge of the small sail boat, Regina far more careful than the others given that Senna was now sleeping peacefully in her arms. The little bundle had been active all day but she had begun to settle down for her afternoon nap now that she had been fed and had been given a change of diaper once more.

Senna was far easier than Henry had ever been. Regina supposed that it was because of her and Emma’s magic that was constantly stimulating her and giving her the reassurance she needed or for whatever reason there was that Regina hadn’t considered. The sorceress wondered if her magic was in anyway similar to Eris’s that the small demigod had so easily attached herself to Regina. 

‘Poor Ma,’ Henry winced at the sound of Emma emptying her stomach into one of the bushes that grew in the tree line. ‘She and transportation really doesn’t bode over well these days.’

Happy himself winced too as the sounds only seemed to grow louder, ‘Yeah, it’s a side-effect of her Dragon Magic. All powerful dragons seem to have the same problem. Well... it depends on the types of dragons. Water Dragons don’t have problems with boats because it’s on the water. Sometimes I wonder if it isn’t just all in their minds.’

‘Can it, Happy,’ growled Emma as she wobbled back over to her family. ‘It not just in our heads. I can’t stand cars or boats or—’

‘We get it, Miss Swan,’ smirked Regina, unable to keep her amusement to herself. Clearing her voice, she continued, ‘Have you tried anything for your condition? I have concoctions that could help you get rid of it for a temporary amount of time. It would make travel a lot easier.’

‘I’ve tried everything.’ Emma’s skin tone seemed to at least change back to it’s natural pale skin color instead of the ghostly glow it had required ever since they had left the harbor a few hours prior. ‘Shallow potion, Honey brew, Adder’s concoction; nothing works.’

‘Coming back on topic,’ Henry interjected, trying to remind the group why they were on the island in the first place. ‘Where are we supposed to meet your friend anyways? Does she know that we’re coming?’

‘Well...’ Emma trailed off, placing her hands on her hips as she turned to face the island’s tree line. ‘Technically speaking, we’re kinda trespassing in their territory and we’re probably going to be captured and then taken to the village.’

Regina’s eye twitched.

The sorceress just needed to remind herself that she wasn’t with Emma because of her brain. She also needed to repeatedly chant that she loved the moron standing in front of her and that killing her was not going to bode over for herself in terms of happiness and happy endings.

Happy rose his paw into the air as though he was a student in a classroom trying to gain the teacher’s attention. ‘Emma, I think that you might really be an idiot.’

Regina couldn’t have said it better herself.

Tribal men and women began to emerge from the trees, bows and spears pointed towards the small group. They were easily distinguishable by their tattoos and the dark tanned color of their skin. Not of them even seemed remotely friendly as they began to march on the group with dangerous expressions gracing their features.

‘Emma,’ Regina whispered hesitantly, unsure what they should do in the current situation. 

All of her instincts were telling her to attack, to protect them at all cost, especially Henry and Senna. However, she also knew that it wouldn’t bode over well in the long term given that they needed these savages’s help.

‘What do we do?’ Regina heard herself asking, glancing towards her love as she pushed Henry slightly behind her.

‘Follow my lead,’ Emma instructed, proceeding to slip her travel pack off her shoulders and then dropping it onto the sand. She then held her palms out in front of her, the insides facing to the sky as she lowered herself onto her knees. She bowed her head in respect, surrendering herself to the tribe. ‘Don’t look them in the eyes, do not utter a single word. We’re hostiles to them and it would be a sign of disrespect.’

Slowly, Regina and Henry followed Emma and Happy’s example. The sorceress as best she could given that she was clutching Senna tightly to her breast.

A rather large tribal man stepped out in front of the other’s glaring down unforgivingly at them as he placed his staff against the sand. He was standing down and the others followed his example.

The warriors led them through a small winding pathway through small forest. They surrounded the heroes to ensure that none of them could make a break for the boat that had been left on the shore. Silence had befallen the group, knowing that if they were to speak then they would be severely reprimanded.

It wasn’t long before they began to pass huts and other people from the tribe itself as they made their way to the chief’s tent in the middle of the village. Women, men and children either gaped or stared in concern at the outsiders, wondering what their business would be on their small island.

Emma, Happy, Henry and Regina were brought to their knees in a row just outside of the large structure where their judgment awaited them inside. As much as Emma hated the fact that her family was being handled like prisoners, and as much as she wanted to act on her dragonic instincts, she knew that it wouldn’t bode over well for anyone.

The dragon swallowed the fire that rose in her chest and bided her time. After all, she could get them out of the mess any time she pleased.

They didn’t need to wait hours on end before the flap of the tent flew open to reveal a young tribal girl. She couldn’t have been fifteen or sixteen, merely a few years older than Henry himself. The Polynesian girl was just as Emma had remembered; the same long wavy raven locks and kind brown orbs. 

Moana seemed to recognize her instantly as her orbs lit up with excitement. The slender girl squealed and then threw herself towards Emma. The dragon barely had the chance to rise to her feet before she caught the girl in her arms.

‘Emma!’ Moana exclaimed, giggling quite loudly. ‘What are you doing here?’

The tribesmen and women all gaped at the sight but didn’t say anything. They held their tongues and continued to watch the reunion between the two friends with wide eyes just like Emma’s own traveling companions did.

Cautiously, Regina and Henry rose to their feet, Happy already having sprouted his wings to greet the raven haired chief.

‘A matter that we’ll discuss later in private,’ Emma smiled as she pulled away from the young girl. ‘How have you been?’

‘Me? I’ve been great!’ Moana reassured with a large smile. ‘I’ve been missing Maui like crazy, but he’s busy with a lot of quests from the gods lately. He just left a week ago, so he’ll only be back in a month or two. He’ll be very upset that he missed you.’ The raven haired paused as she seemingly noticed the others by her friend’s side. ‘Oh, hello, Happy.’

‘Hi, Moana,’ greeted the feline, a blush beginning to coat his features. ‘Do you know where Oliana is?’

‘I’m right here, thank you very much.’ A feminine voice rang through everyone’s ears before a white exceed flew from out the chieftain tent. She proceeded to land on Moana’s shoulder, crossing her arms and proceeding to stick her small pink button nose in the air. ‘I would say it was a pleasure, Happy, but that isn’t the sentence that comes to mind when I see your face.’

‘Oliana!’ The exceed exclaimed in excitement. ‘You look beautiful today!’

‘As I do everyday,’ scoffed Oliana. She glanced towards Emma and offered a small smile. ‘How do you do, Emma? You look well.’

Emma chuckled softly, ‘Thanks, Oliana.’

‘Now, we needn’t dawdle,’ the exceed turned to look at Henry and Regina, then she rose an eyebrow at the bundle that slept peacefully in Regina’s arms. ‘Aren’t you going to introduce us to your friends? I believe that you have better manners than that.’

Regina smirked, finding that she liked this exceed far more than she liked Happy. ‘I’m Regina Mills.’

Moana’s eyes widened as she leaned over towards her friend, whispering with wide eyes, ‘As in _that_ Regina. The one that—’

‘Yes, that Regina,’ chuckled Emma. ‘Though, we talked things over... and well... now we’re dating,’

‘Aw!’ Moana exclaimed. ‘That’s adorable!’

Regina ignored the brief interaction despite for the small raise of an eyebrow that she had directed towards them. ‘And this is our son, Henry Mills.’

‘Hi,’ greeted the teenager, bowing respectfully in front of Moana as his cheeks tinged a light reddish color.

Moana smiled, then proceeded to curtsy. In the corner of her eye, however, she caught a glimpse of Senna, whom had woken from her slumber due to the excitement. A squeal escaped her as she rushed towards the infant in Regina’s arms.

‘Oh, my goodness! A baby!’ Moana reached for the demigod and grabbed onto Senna, effortlessly lifting her out of Regina’s grasp before the woman could protest. ‘Oh, she is adorable!’

Regina smiled enviously, ‘Yes, she is—’

Emma stepped in before the sorceress could finish the sentence, throwing her arm around Regina’s shoulder, ‘She’s our daughter.’

The sorceress turned her head to Emma so quickly that she feared whiplash. Her eyes were wide and filled with shock as she stared at her girlfriend, yet the blonde merely smiled in pride at the child in Moana’s grasp.

‘Oh, this calls for celebration!’ Moana exclaimed as she handed Senna back over to Regina.

Frowning, the brunette asked, ‘What?’

Emma leaned over to her girlfriend and whispered, ‘Just go with it.’

‘We’ll prepare a feast in your honor!’ Moana exclaimed excitedly. ‘Oh, we’ll sing and dance and eat! We haven’t seen each other in forever!’

Cheering erupted around them, the villagers excitement loud and clear on the decision of their leader.


	7. Oh, My Gods. They Were Roommates

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _*Waves like an idiot*_
> 
> Hi, dearies.
> 
> Thank you all for the lovely kudos and comments. It’s been really keeping me above water.
> 
> I may or may not have to skip Thursday’s update. Whilst my recovery from the operation has been going well I am behind on schoolwork. Cambridge doesn’t kid around, no sirry. So, I’m falling a bit behind on the writing, but we’ll see. Writing is the only thing that keeps me sane.
> 
> Anyways, that’s enough out of me.

**_Storybrooke, Blanchard Loft_ **

Mary Margaret and David stared long and hard at the broken rattle the latter held in his hand. Memories of old swirled around in their minds as they continued to watch the item that David had retrieved from Cruella and Ursula.

On top of their worries was now a witch that went by the name of Zelena. This particular redhead was now confined to the Swan household along with Mulan herself. Neither of them were happy with the arrangement, but Mulan hadn’t once tried to get herself out of it. The same could not be said for Zelena, however. It reached a point where Mulan had simply knocked her out by pressing down on a few pressure points before she threw her over her shoulder, said she would redress her wounds at the house, then loaded her into Ruby’s mustang.

‘You found that in Cruella’s car?’ Mary Margaret looked up at her husband, eyes filled with fear as she crossed her arms over her chest. ‘David, that belonged to Maleficent, you know how much that meant to her.’

‘I do.’ The prince agreed, nodding his head. ‘And I can only think of one reason why those two witches would wanna steal a totem of hers…’ David trailed off, clenching his jaw. ‘A spell. A spell to resurrect her.’

Mary Margaret’s eyes widened, ‘Is that even possible?’

‘You know, it doesn’t matter what their dark magic can or can’t do.’ David released a sigh of relief, holding up the totem. ‘Now that we have this, it’s not even an option.’

‘But what if they discover it’s missing?’ Mary Margaret countered fearfully. ‘Won’t they just find something else?’

‘Then we take the one thing that Cruella and Ursula can’t do without… Maleficent’s remains.’ 

‘Under the library.’ Mary Margaret pointed out.

‘That’s right.’ David nodded. ‘We find them, we dump them in the harbor, then she’s gone forever. And once Ursula and Cruella realize that, maybe they’ll leave town, too.’

Mary Margaret inhaled uneasily, then exhaled in the same manner, ‘And hopefully they’ll take our secret with them.’

**_Enchanted Forest, Motunui_ **

‘I look ridiculous,’ Regina spat at the poor excuse of a mirror in their hut, placing her hands on her hips as she scowled. ‘I feel like one of those girls in a poorly financed tavern or brothel.’

The sorceress’s attire could barely even count as clothing in her opinion. Her flat stomach was exposed along with an unhealthy amount of her long slender legs. The traditional island clothing that had been provided for them hugged her figure far too tightly as well.

Their own hut had been provided for them for the evening whilst Happy and Henry slept in the next. Little Senna was safely tucked in one of the villager’s arms as she had silently stood by and helped wherever she could to prepare the two women.

Emma snickered as she placed a crown made from the island’s local flowers on her head, moving closer to Regina with one for her as well, beautiful purple flowers woven into the item. Her girlfriend tried her best to move away from Emma before she could place the item on her head, but given that the dragon had the advantage of strength there was nowhere to escape to.

‘Would you stop?’ Emma smiled broadly, staring at Regina’s eyes via the mirror. ‘You look beautiful.’

‘A celebration is a waste of our time,’ huffed Regina in annoyance, crossing her arms over her chest. ‘Poseidon is expecting us tomorrow and—’

‘'Gina, it’ll be fine, okay?’ Emma gave the woman a stern look. ‘The thing you gotta understand about these quests is that you can’t rush through them. Ursula said that he expects us in three days time. He literally means it then; not a day early nor a day late.’

‘It’s just that...’ Regina trailed off, a frown gracing her features as she looked away from Emma’s intense green orbs. ‘Never mind. I just... I just don’t feel comfortable with leaving our child with a complete stranger. What if Senna needs us? What if—’

Emma wanted to bring up the fact that she and Regina had now both called Senna theirs. After all, the raven haired was far more the former queen’s than she would ever be Eris’s. 

It was Regina who helped feed her, helped change her diapers, helped bathe her, helped burp her. Eris would never do all of those things. Hell, Emma wouldn’t have been able to do any of those things without Regina or Happy’s help.

Unfortunately, the dragon also knew that her girlfriend had an obscene amount of walls. She was trying to hide something by tossing one up, and whilst she most likely was concerned for Senna with the tribe’s "nanny", she was trying to avoid admitting the true reason why she didn’t want to attend the feast.

Sighing, Emma leaned her head against Regina’s shoulder, cutting the brunette off from wherever fear she had wanted to list next.

‘Are you going to make me guess why you don’t want to go to the party, or are you just going to come out and tell me?’ Emma shifted her head so that her chin now rested on the sorceress’s shoulder.

Regina clenched her jaw, looking anywhere but Emma’s eyes. An embarrassed flushed graced her features as she muttered something incoherent.

Emma chuckled, then reprimanded the woman in a teasing tone, ‘'Gina.’

‘I can’t dance all right!’ The brunette snapped, growling as she glanced to the floor. ‘There. I said it. Are you happy now?’

‘Not in the slightest,’ the dragon straightened herself, a curious look gracing her features. ‘What do you mean you can’t dance? You were a queen, you attended royal balls, like, all the time.’

‘Yes,’ nodded Regina with a scowl. ‘Where Leopold was far too interested in dancing with his darling daughter than with his wife.’

Emma wasn’t to be deterred. She loved dancing. In fact, over her travels it had been one of the ways that she had wooed Eris at some points in time, not that Regina needed to know that, but the point being that she had done it often. She knew every dance there ever was and had been in the Enchanted Forest like she knew the back of her head.

At the beginning, she had two left feet, yes, but she had become quite decent to say the least. Blending in with locals, nobles and royals had become so easy that she could do it in her sleep.

The blonde took a step back and Regina turned around in confusion as she watched Emma take a fighting stance of sort. She held her right palm out into the air, and stood awaiting Regina’s response.

‘Emma, what are you doing?’ The former queen questioned with a frown. ‘You look ridiculous.’

A snort escaped the villager and Emma sent her a playful glare. The woman looked away immediately and refocused her attention on Senna.

‘This is a relatively old dance,’ explained Emma, moving quickly across the floor as she switched sides. She was moving around in a circular motion, then changing the flow of the circle as she switched to the right once more. ‘I think it died out somewhere during the first Ogre War. It supposed to symbolize love and devotion, eternal happiness and whatnot. There wasn’t a lot of that around during the war, only death and destructions. The dance is easy to learn; there only being one rule.’

Smiling, Regina caught on to what Emma was doing for her. She mimicked Emma, only using her opposite side so that she could gently place her wrist against Emma’s own, then beginning to follow her movements with a certain amount of eagerness.

‘Oh?’ Regina questioned with the raise of an eyebrow. ‘What would that be?’

‘Pick a partner who actually knows what he hell they’re doing,’ scoffed the blonde, as though it should have been obvious. ‘The best part to this dance is that you can’t step on my toes.’

As if one cue, Regina’s heel collided with Emma’s foot. The sorceress pulled back immediately, trying her best not to burst out in laughter as she covered her face. Despite the fact that Emma’s skin was impenetrable, she actually flinched and reached for her abused limb.

‘Oh! Emma, I’m—’

‘No, no,’ Emma laughed, shaking her head. ‘You were doing so great. I jinxed it.’

**_Storybrooke, Swan House_ **

‘Just so you know, I’m not enjoying this in the slightest.’

Mulan was a weapon, a warrior, a finely crafted sword. Her nerves were that of steel, perhaps even stronger that that. She was forged in the valleys of beasts and wars, she has fought only for honor. She protected those who could not protect themselves and she fought for what was right. She did not even bend under the slightest amount of pressure.

Equally so, Zelena was... a piece of work far greater than any woman that the warrior has ever come across with. Coming from someone who had journeyed with Aurora of all people in a war ravished land that was saying a lot. 

And gods, did the redhead complain about everything and anything.

It was only a day and Mulan was ready to walk in front of those odd automobiles that most people seemed so enamored with. Compared, it would be a more honorable death than the one Zelena was providing her with.

The dark haired warrior was actually carrying Zelena down the stairs so that the witch could spend her day watching Netflix. Mulan didn’t know what it was, but Ruby had shown her in the time that they have now lived in Storybrooke how to maneuver the contraption. So, thus, she had shown Zelena the previous evening just what to do before preparing them dinner. Now, Mulan just wanted to leave the house and head off to work.

Mulan wanted to throw back a retort, at least say that she didn’t enjoy any of this either. However, ever the soldier, she kept her tongue and took the verbal abuse thrown at her in stride. 

Zelena’s injuries were rather severe and in the warrior’s professional opinion the witch needed to be on bedrest. Magic was a better option and her wounds would heal far quicker, but they simply couldn’t risk the fact that Zelena could harm the townspeople and the fact that the Blue Fairy’s confinement spells were not of top quality.

‘You know,’ Zelena began once again as Mulan gently set her down on the couch placed in front of the large flat screen. ‘It would be a lot more fun if there were a reaction of some sort to everything that I throw your way.’

‘Anger is often one’s worst enemy,’ replied Mulan, picking up four remotes and trying to remember which one to use for what. ‘When one can overcome it, then one can be free of all that which ways one down.’

‘Get that in a fortune biscuit?’ The witch scoffed. ‘Hand me the remotes. I remember which ones to use for what.’

Mulan did as she was told, then retrieved a cellphone inside a pouch in her armor. ‘If you need to contact me, use this talking device. It—’

Zelena rolled her eyes, ‘Yes, thank you very much. I know how to use a telephone and what it is. Bloody hell, I’m not a ninny, you know.’

The warrior sighed then moved round the couch towards the door. She grabbed her sword waiting for her by the coatrack and then thanked the gods that she was finally on her way. However, just before she reached the exit, she heard Zelena calling out to her once more.

‘Wait...’ It was soft, but her keen ears easily caught on to it.

Another sigh escaped Mulan as she forced herself back into the living room. ‘Yes?’ she questioned with a vaguely neutral expression. ‘Do you need something?’

‘Why are you doing this?’ The witch questioned, not daring to turn and look at the warrior. Mulan could hear the vulnerability quite clear in her voice and it made any annoyance that she had been feeling disappear. ‘I’m a villain. I did terrible things. Why would you take care of me like this?’

Mulan shrugged to herself more than to the redhead. She didn’t truly know herself. It certainly wasn’t because Snow had suggested it. Mulan rarely ever did things that she didn’t want to anymore. It also wasn’t because she was the only option. In some way, she had wanted to help this woman who had lost her way. Ruby had told her all about what Zelena had done and on some level she found herself able to sympathize with her.

‘You were in need,’ Mulan found herself saying. ‘And despite what you’ve done, you’re not irredeemable. You’re not nothing. Just because you were a villain doesn’t mean that you don’t have feelings or a heart.’

Zelena said nothing in return, but Mulan imagined that she had heard the faintest of sniffles. Instead of addressing it, she sobered up and began to move towards the door. 

‘I will return with lunch. Call me if you need me before then.’

**_Enchanted Forest, Motunui_ **

Henry wasn’t a jealous person. He truly wasn’t. The teenager couldn’t be more thankful with what he had and the people in his life. Not to mention the constant adventures that he experienced in his young life. However, watching his mothers dancing and laughing like they had no care in the world in that moment and that they were the only two people there made him feel a twinge of something that pulled at his heartstrings.

Even Happy seemed to be enamored tonight, following after Oliana with a fish in his grasp as he attempted to woo her at every chance he got.

A sigh escaped Henry, as he crossed his arms over his bare chest, barely resisting the blush that crept up his cheeks. Like his mothers, he was required to wear traditional garbs of the islanders. However, his clothing was even less than Emma and Regina’s. He felt bare as he leaned against one of the hut’s walls, watching as villagers danced around the flames as musicians played drums, flutes and other strange instruments that he didn’t recognize.

‘Henry!’ The teenager jumped at the sound of Moana’s voice. ‘I hope you’re enjoying the feast!’ The young girl bubbled excitedly, smiling broadly at the brunet.

Henry’s blush only intensified as he stared at the beautiful chieftain in front of him. She was positively breathtaking in her floral skirt and blood red shirt. Her brown orbs shown with the purest of lights that he had ever laid eyes on and for a moment he had forgotten how to form coherent sentences.

Moana frowned in concern, ‘Henry, are you feeling alright?’

‘No, I mean, yes... I mean...’ He sighed. ‘I just... I think you’re beautiful and I have no idea what regular words are.’

The sixteen-year-old giggled in amusement, ‘Well, you seem to be doing just fine on your own. I don’t think that anyone’s ever called me beautiful except Maui.’

Disappointment set in as he recalled the girl having mentioned the name before. 

‘Is he your boyfriend or something?’ Henry questioned.

‘Hardly.’ Moana shook her head adamantly. ‘He’s a demigod, a son of Poseidon. He’s like my brother.’

‘Oh,’ Henry smiled, his heart once again speeding up with excitement. Swallowing thickly, he gathered what courage he had. ‘Would you like to dance? I’m not any good, but—’

‘I’d _love_ to dance!’ Moana exclaimed, grabbing hold of Henry’s hands. ‘The boys here on the island are too chicken to man up and ask me _anything_! Let’s go!’ 

The young chieftain pulled Henry towards the dancing circle and the boy couldn’t help but wonder what he had gotten himself into whilst sporting the biggest smile that he could muster.

Oblivious to their son’s evening, Emma and Regina laughed as they stumbled into one another. The latter wasn’t used to this kind of exercise and thus she found herself a tad bit clumsy. However, Emma didn’t mind, simply because she enjoyed doing something with the brunette that didn’t involve their children or Happy.

‘Maybe we should sit down?’ Emma suggested as she tried to calm herself, taking Regina gently by the hand. ‘A breather couldn’t hurt us.’

‘I’m inclined to agree,’ Regina giggle, squeezing Emma’s hand in return as the woman led her towards one of the many seats set out.

Together they collapsed into their respective chairs, their laughter only continuing to grow.

‘Oh,’ Regina gasped, placing a hand over her chest. ‘When was the last time we’d spent some time alone together that didn’t involve an existential crisis?’

‘Uh, right before the Chernabog attacked?’ Emma guessed lifting her flower crown off her head. ‘Before then, I don’t have the slightest of clues.’

‘Thus, I suggest, when we go back, we need to go on a proper date,’ declared Regina, leaning towards Emma with a teasing smile. ‘You know, dinner, flowers. How does that sound?’

Emma grinned, ‘I don’t think that I’ll be able to wait that long.’ 

The sorceress giggled again as she leaned in to press her lips against Emma’s, savoring the way that the dragon seemed to breath life back into her being by this one simple act. However, given that they were in a rather public place, Regina forced herself to pull away.

Her and Emma’s love, their _true_ love, wasn’t some attraction to gawk at. It was something special, something sacred and she would be damned if became anything less than that due to other morons and naysayers.

‘Easy there, my love,’ warned Regina, a smile still playing at her lips. ‘We’re not alone, you know?’

A blissful sigh escaped Emma, and it seems as though she wanted to argue, but instead her eyes turned away from Regina to something in the crowd. The sorceress followed her gaze and immediately a scowl graced her features.

‘What the hell is that girl doing with my son?’

Emma couldn’t help but smile at the protectiveness in Regina’s voice. ‘ _Our_ son. Relax, it’s cute. Besides, Moana’s a good girl, pure-hearted and trustworthy. We’d be so lucky if Henry could date a girl like her.’

‘He’s too young to date,’ countered Regina adamantly. ‘He’s my little prince, he’s—’

‘Also growing up,’ insisted Emma, covering Regina’s hand in her own. ‘Henry’s gotta start somewhere, okay? He’s gotta figure some things out for himself.’

A sigh escaped Regina as she slowly began to interlace their fingers together, still watching as the two teenagers danced and laughed along with the rest of the villagers. The last thing she wanted was for her little boy to grow up. She didn’t want him to leave, didn’t want him to forget about her. However, she knew that if she held on too tightly, she would only end up pushing him away.

‘When did you become the sensible one in this relationship?’

Emma shrugged, ‘Give it a moment. I’m bound to do something stupid soon.’

**_Enchanted Forest—Past_ **

A woman sat on a fallen tree log, absentmindedly writing in the _Once Upon A Time_ storybook that was spread out on her lap. From behind her, Emma and Happy cautiously approached. The two friends shared a determined look with one another, no fear present on their features. 

From inside her waistcoat, Emma removed a magical wand, clenching her jaw determinedly. She was too close now to fail this quest. Especially after the trials that she had faced to find this powerful woman before her. 

Someone who wielded the fate of every fairytale character was not someone that you wanted to upset. Not when she had the instrument of their possible demise in her grasp.

‘Ava Heller,’ Emma stared, her grip tightening on the wand in her grasp. ‘You’ve been an extremely hard woman to find.’

‘It’s taken you long enough,’ replied the woman without even glancing back to her. She merely continued to write in the book on her lap. ‘What’s it been? Two—Three weeks?’

‘Four weeks,’ answered Happy, making certain he remained just slightly behind Emma. ‘Though, who’s truly keeping track of time these days when you’re _time travelers_?’

‘Indeed,’ snickered Ava.

‘Sorry, Ava, but you’re going away for a long time,’ informed Emma. ‘You will return that quill of yours. You’re not worthy of the power that’s been given to you by the gods. You have abused all the rules. You have lied. You have deceived. You have forsaken your holy duty, and now...’ Emma raised the wand. ‘You must be punished.’

The Author disappeared into the Storybook and the quill dropped down onto the forest floor along with the writing material. Happy flew closer, retrieving both the book and the quill. He then proceeded to hand both items to Emma.

‘That only took forever,’ grumbled Emma, white smoke enveloping the items in her grasp. ‘Let’s head to the _Ugly Duckling_ before Poseidon wipes our minds. I don’t want to forget that I’ve been in the mood for Fire Whiskey since this morning.’

‘Aye, sir!’

**_Storybrooke, French household—Present_ **

Ruby just stepped out of the guest bedroom as Marian followed after her, closing the door behind her in an effort to keep Roland oblivious to the ongoings of the evening. The poor boy was already exhausted from being dragged all the way from the Merry Men’s camp to the other side of town so that they could spend the night with Belle and Ruby.

It’s become a more common occurrence; Marian and Roland spending nights with them. 

It didn’t take a genius to see that her marriage with Robin Hood was falling apart. The thief hadn’t taken Regina’s rejection too well and his union with Marian only suffered because of it. Before he was the honorable man that Robin often claimed to be, he was a drunkard that wasted away in the taverns. 

Old habits seemed to die rather hard.

‘Ruby, I can’t thank you and Belle enough for letting us stay here,’ whispered the brunette with conviction. ‘I can’t help but feel like we’re taking advantage of the two of you.’

The she-wolf shook her head, ‘No, don’t think like that. You know that we’re both thrilled to have you and the cub.’ Ruby leaned in with a grin, ‘Not to mention, Mulan would kick my ass if I were to leave you out in the cold; forcing you to stay with those barbarians.’

Marian deflated at the statement, crossing her arms over her chest self-consciously, ‘The camp isn’t so terrible. I’m close with some of the Merry Men and they treat me well. Little John cares for both Roland and I when Robin is...’ she trailed off, glancing down in shame at the ground, ‘indisposed.’

‘That’s putting it mildly,’ scoffed Ruby, rolling her eyes. ‘I am, however, glad to hear that there’s at least someone looking out for you whilst Mulan is busy with our latest problem.’

Muffling her laugh, the brunette looked up at her friend in amusement, ‘Yes, she mentioned her current... predicament. It was the reason why she told me to come and stay here tonight. She felt obligated to keep me at the Merry Men camp, but she has a responsibility to—how did she put it—make certain that Zelena does not burn down half of Storybrooke.’ 

Ruby laughed as she shook her head, ‘Yeah, even without her magic I’m pretty sure that she would have managed. She has family history of pyromania.’

‘Yes,’ nodded Marian, widening her eyes in what could be described as horror. ‘I am well aware of the Mills family’s... tendencies.’

The she-wolf winced at her mistake. She knew the story well behind "Robin’s wife" and knew that it was and had been the most sensitive subject in all of Storybrooke. Now, Ruby and her ever ginormous mouth just went and hashed up a past that the woman in front of her would sooner rather forget than remember.

Pursing her lips, Ruby closed her eyes and shook her head apologetically, ‘I’m sorry. I’m an ass.’

Marian frowned and placed a gentle hand on Ruby’s bicep, ‘No, no. I’m sorry. I understand that Regina’s a good woman now, that she truly has changed, and I feel as though she and I should... discuss some things in the near future, but there is some unpleasant memories I’d rather suppress.’

‘Yeah,’ agreed the brunette. ‘I’ll, uh, I’ll leave you to it. I have to check on Belle, too. She’s—She’s been having a hard time sleeping after...’ Ruby trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.

‘I understand,’ smiled the brunette. ‘Goodnight, Ruby. We’ll see you in the morning.’

Marian had just stepped back into the room and shut the door firmly behind her when Ruby’s cellphone began to chime in her leather pant’s pocket. The she-wolf frowned at the caller ID that flashed _Mary Margaret_ in big and bold letters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I’m not sure who to cast Ava Heller as. I feel there was a big opportunity missed with the character there and I feel like I could do a little more. 
> 
> Leave a comment and tell me what your opinion is and any idea you have regarding the author. I feel an Anti-Hero coming into view.


	8. Nightmare

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I ain’t dead yet, but chapters are going to be slow from now on, meaning that I’ll update when I can.
> 
> Enjoy!

**_Enchanted Forest, Motunui_ **

The celebration was still in full swing as villagers continued to laugh, dance and eat as much as was prepared for them to feast on. Henry and Moana had taken a seat by the table enormous table, conversation flowing easily between them. Happy and Oliana had also resigned themselves to a seat by the two of them, the latter trying desperately to ignore the tom cat’s advances, but finding that the blue exceed was not to be deterred.

Emma and Regina had begun to make their way over to the children. Their hands were interlaced with one another as they walked which caused a pleasantly warm feeling to form inside Regina’s chest. It went as far as bring light to her dark and damaged heart. She allowed herself to believe that she deserved her happy ending in moments like these, that she deserved a chance at grace.

The couple sat down across from Henry and Moana, and they immediately turned their attention to the blonde and brunette, a blush coating their features at the same time. Moana, however, ever the leader and chieftain she was, greeted them with stride.

‘Emma, Regina!’ The raven haired smiled broadly. ‘I hope that you are both enjoying the celebration?’

‘Oh, we are,’ nodded Regina, smiling politely. She wanted to scowl when she felt Emma’s hand on her thigh, but she chose to remind herself that Henry wouldn’t appreciate it if she were to make a scene. ‘Thank you, Chief Waialiki. We’ve had a wonderful time thus far.’

Moana laughed, ‘Please, no need for formalities. Friends of Emma are friends of mine!’

‘I’m curious as how the two of you met?’ Regina questioned, glancing in between her girlfriend and the young girl.

Something passed over both their features, but they easily covered it up in an instant. Happy and Oliana on the other hand didn’t manage to hide their grim expressions as easily. Henry and Regina shared a look over the table, realizing that the circumstances must not have been all too pleasant.

‘I’d rather not spoil your wonderful time with those dreary thoughts,’ informed Moana, forcing a smile. ‘I’d much rather discuss why you are here? As much as I love seeing, and meeting you all, wherever Emma goes trouble seems to follow close behind.’

Regina frowned, wanting to press the previous subject, but Emma cut her off before she could speak. The sorceress glanced towards her girlfriend, making a note to remind herself to ask the blonde when they were alone.

Emma took a breath, ‘Well, we need your help.’

‘Naturally,’ declared Moana in a teasing tone. ‘What is it this time?’

‘Your benefactor summoned me to his palace,’ informed the dragon, moving both her hands onto the table as a considering frown graced her features. ‘What for, I don’t know, but he made it quite clear what was at stake if I didn’t obey. He sent a Chernabog after Regina.’

Moana sat up straighter as she drummed her fingers against the table. ‘I see...’ She trailed off as she glanced around to the villagers as a concerned look settled on her face. The chieftain then turned to Oliana. ‘What do you think, Oli?’

The exceed sighed dramatically, crossing her arms over her chest. ‘Well, it’s not like we have anything better to do,’ she scoffed. ‘We can’t very well let them go on their own. Emma’s temper always seems so brass around Poseidon.’ Oliana paused, giving Emma a briefly sympathetic look, ‘Not without reason, of course.’

Emma’s jaw clenched, but she nodded, ‘Will you help us? It’s important that we make it there by tomorrow.’

‘Of course we’ll help you,’ reassured Oliana, drawling her words in a bored manner. ‘We’ll leave at dawn then.’ The exceed scowled then, ‘I wish that we’d discussed this before we’d gone and thrown a feast.’ Oliana directed a reprimanding look in Moana’s direction. ‘How are we going to get a good night’s rest now, hmm?’

Moana laughed uncomfortably as an embarrassed flush graced her features.

‘Well, I think it’s best if we all head to bed then,’ declared Regina, rising from her seat. ‘Come along, Henry.’

The brunet’s cheeks reddened once more, ‘Is it okay if I stay a little longer? I don’t want to leave Moana all alone.’

‘ _She_ will be just mine here with—’ Oliana was cut off when Happy covered the feline’s mouth with his paws. She fixed him with a deathly glare, but he only grinned at the appreciative look Henry offered him in return.

‘Henry—’ Regina frowned. The last thing that she wanted was for her baby boy to spend another minute in a girl’s presence. He was too young to be thinking about dating. About girls. About kissing girls. 

‘ _Please_ , moms?’ Henry practically begged.

Regina turned helplessly towards Emma, ‘Dear?’

The blonde shrugged, ‘Happy and Oliana will keep an eye on them, and if I know Oli they won’t be staying out any longer for more than ten minutes.’

Oliana managed to briefly break free from Happy’s hold, ‘Precise—’

A sigh escaped the sorceress as she drooped her shoulders in defeat, ‘Very well, but I expect you not to stay out too long, young man.’

The grin that spread over the brunet’s face was almost enough to sooth Regina’s aching heart. ‘Thanks, moms. You guys are the best.’

Regina offered a weak smile, then allowed Emma to throw her arm around her shoulders as she began to steer her in the direction of their hut, far away from the chaos of the party.

**_Storybrooke, Sheriff’s Station—Recent Past_ **

Mary Margaret and David sat by the window sill, grim expression plastered onto their faces. They looked far more defeated than they had in the past and seemingly downright hopeless. One could tell by the look in their eyes that something had just gone terribly, terribly wrong.

Slowly, the queen turned towards her husband, tears gathering in her eyes. ‘What have we done, David? This is all our fault.’

‘I know,’ the man nodded, turning to face her. ‘If we hadn’t been so determined to keep our secret... If we’d just asked for help...’

‘...then Maleficent wouldn’t have been resurrected,’ finished Mary Margaret, looking away once more. ‘We can’t keep lying. We need to tell the others... We need to find a way to fix this.’

‘Then, we’ll tell Emma when she returns,’ nodded David determinedly. ‘No matter how hard it may be, no matter the consequences.’

Husband and wife leapt to their feet when the sound of footsteps entered the station, revealing Mulan a moment later. She stopped in her tracks, a frown gracing her features.

‘David? Snow?’ She placed her hands on her hips. ‘Ruby told me that you had gone on a hike. Did you have a nice time?’

The two shared an uncertain look with one another, then nodded encouragingly before they turned back to the warrior.

‘We... We didn’t go on a hike...’ explained Mary Margaret, shame filling her entire being. ‘We lied to Ruby.’

Mulan paused, hesitating for a moment before stating, ‘I’m certain that you must have had your reasons for doing so. I will respect your wishes to keep it a secret.’

‘No,’ David shook his head. ‘There’s something we need to tell you... You, Belle and Ruby. Something horrible that we did and now it might just cost the lives of everyone in town.’

The warrior nodded, her expression vaguely neutral, ‘I’m listening with open ears and an open mind.’

**_Enchanted Forest, Motunui—Present_ **

Emma and Regina practically stumbled into their hut, the only source of light being the candles placed through the small enclosure. Soft and breathless giggled through the air as they kissed soft lips and nipped at every available piece of skin.

For the time being, Regina’s placed Henry in the back of her mind as Emma pulled her as close as she possibly could. The blonde squeezed the midsection of her waist in such a way that Regina’s knees nearly buckled then and there.

The sorceress found herself suddenly thankful that their clothing would be little of an issue, but yet in the same breath the layers was far too much as they separated the two women wholly. 

A loud giggle escaped Regina as Emma effortlessly picked her up off the floor. It left her no choice but to wrap her legs around the dragon’s toned waist. She cupped the blonde’s cheeks, leaning her head down as she continued to keep their lips connected despite the way her lungs burned for oxygen.

The kiss was only broken by Emma when a whispered _wait_ left her in a gasped manner. Regina obeyed, not wanting to rush her in any way after Emma’s last encounter with intimacy.

They never talked about Eris or the fact that she would somehow always be a part of their lives in some way in the form of one Senna Ruth Swan. Sometimes, Regina wondered if they _should_ talk about things, otherwise they would simply just end up right back where they had started before their relationship. Though, in the same breath, Regina wanted to respect certain topics of Emma’s past. 

At the beginning of their relationship there had been a certain understanding of sorts; when one of them wanted to talk about something dreary in their past, then they would. They would not press one another, or force each other into mindsets that could be potentially damaging to each other and themselves. And thus far it had been working for them.

‘I wanted to ask you something,’ Emma whispered, breath still labored. ‘And it’s pretty important, and I wanna do it before we take this any further, cause I think that we’re both heading in the same direction... a very good and nice direction, but—’

Regina laughed, keeping her voice as low as she possibly could, ‘Would you stop your ramblings and just ask me already?’

Emma smiled, amusement shining in her green eyes, ‘I wanted to ask you if... I don’t know... Senna could become _Senna Ruth Swan-Mills_?’

The sorceress pulled her face slightly away from Emma’s so that she could get a better view of what was going through her girlfriend’s mind. She stared at the dragon with a shocked expression, not daring her heart to flutter with even more hope than it already currently was.

‘What—What do you mean... by that?’

‘Well, I thought it was obvious.’ Emma raised an amused eyebrow. ‘I want you to adopt Senna officially... I mean... you’re already her other mom. So, it’s only right that... well, you get her if anything happens to me.’

‘Nothing’s going to happen to you,’ Regina all but growled protectively, dragging her thumbs across her girlfriend’s cheeks. ‘Not if I have anything to say about it.’

Emma looked as though she wanted to argue, but she let it go for the time being. ‘Regardless,’ insisted the blonde. ‘You’re her mom and I want her to always know that. Eris was just a...’ Emma frowned, ‘just a _donor_ , or something?’

‘I...’ Regina swallowed thickly. ‘Well, shouldn’t we be married before that? I mean—’

‘No,’ Emma smiled softly. ‘I checked. We don’t have to be married for you to be able to adopt her. I mean, we’re not married and we share custody of Henry, so...’

Regina deflated slightly and she couldn’t help the frown that began to adorn her features. ‘Do you... Do you not want to get married in the future?’

The dragon raised an eyebrow at the brunette, ‘Well, I do, if you do, but, uh, isn’t that like a topic for after you sack me?’

Rolling her eyes, the sorceress had to remind herself for the second time that day that she did not love the blonde because of her intelligence. 

‘So, eloquently put, dear. I’m simply _dying_ to make love to you.’

Emma snickered in amusement, ‘So, what do you say?’

‘I...’ Regina gradually allowed the corners of her mouth to rise up. ‘I would be honored, Emma. I love her so much, and Henry... and you. I’ve never loved anyone like I’ve loved you.’

‘Gods,’ exhaled Emma, attempting to pull the sorceress much closer than she already was. ‘You’re all I think about, Regina. All I’ve ever thought about. You’re in my head all the time.’ Emma’s eyes shifted to slits as she leaned towards Regina ear, a whisper leaving her lips, ‘And now you’re going to be in my bed.’

A gasp escaped Regina, then a moan as Emma crashed their lips together once more.

* * *

Emma’s eyes slowly fluttered open. She stood in the midst of a battlefield, warriors with styled swan crests on their chests as their swords clashed with the claws of monsters and beasts of all kinds. In the distance there loomed four Titans. 

An Ice Titan stood to the North, a Rock titan to the East, a Lava Titan to the West and a Tornado Titan to the South.

Every part of the scene set out before the dragon was moving in slow motion and it was deathly silent. If one would drop a pin on the desert floor then it would be heard for miles away.

Emma blinked and the scene shifted, changing so that all the warriors were now out of sight and nowhere to be seen. A sandstorm took its place, moving slowly towards Emma. The dragon, unable to help her curiosity, moved closer towards the dragon’s head. She recognized him to be one of the very first champions chosen by the gods to bear the gift of the dragon, his name long since forgotten.

His voice was thick, raspy, echoing in a sense as though they stood in a cave or cavern.

_When the alignment of the planets is nigh, it will be the time to act. The gates of the Underworld will open and the souls of the departed will escape into the realm of the living; the realm Without Magic. They will awaken and plunge the realms into chaos and destruction, and kill all those who appose them..._

Emma opened her mouth to say something, anything, but her voice was stripped from her.

_Four to make a circle, four to make a cage. The Liar’s voice, the fiend’s heart, the swan’s feathers and the slayer’s blood._

Emma frowned, reaching out towards the dragon as her mouth formed the word "wait". Though, she suddenly sucked in a breath of water, bubbles of air escaped towards the surface that was thousands of feet away. The dragon reached for her throat, realizing that she was about to drown.

She jolted awake. Emma scrambled away from Regina’s sleeping, bare form and towards the clothes that lay on the hut’s floor. She hurriedly rushed to get each article on as quickly as she could. When she finally began to tighten her belt she began to slow down a minuscule amount and looked to where her lover lay.

If Regina awoke in the time that she was gone, the consequences could be disastrous. However, Emma needed piece of mind and the only place that she could find it was in Motunui’s old archives. She needed to look for the words, to ensure what she dreamt wouldn’t come to pass.

She grabbed for her travel-pack and began to throw it over her shoulders. She then dropped down to her knees before pressing a soft kiss to Regina’s forehead, her haste leaving her breathless.

‘I won’t be gone long,’ she promised lamely, squeezing her lover’s bare shoulder. She then began to cover Regina with the blanket that entangled their limbs prior to when Emma had woken. ‘I’ll be gone and back before you notice. I just... I need to know.’

Then, she stepped back and through the hut’s curtain’s, disappearing through the floor of the island.

**_Storybrooke, Swan House_ **

‘You did _WHAT?!_ ’ Ruby stared at her old friends with wide, horror filled eyes. ‘Maleficent’s been _WHAT?!_ ’

Mary Margaret and David stared down in shame, unable to meet the gazes of the three woman that stood in front of them. They were seated next to one another on the couch in the living room, thinking that the situation came close to a scene in a movie where teenagers are being reprimanded for something that they shouldn’t have been doing.

‘Ruby,’ reprimanded Belle. 

She knew how hard it must have been for the two heroes to admit all that they had just laid out in front of them, awaiting for whatever the women would now do with the information that had just learned.

‘What?’ The she-wolf puffed out, ‘I’m having a difficult time wrapping my head around all of this. Aren’t you? I mean, they stole Maleficent’s egg, put the darkness that was meant for Emma into it, then they manage to let it fall through some kind of portal to our land where it most likely could have died, because I mean, Cruella and Ursula aren’t exactly parent material.’

‘What’s hard to understand?’ Mulan raised an eyebrow. ‘Do they need to draw a diagram for you as well, with pictures and descriptions?’

‘You know what, Mulan, I—’

Belle placed a calming hand on Ruby’s chest, keeping her from advancing on the warrior. The last thing they needed now was for the two women to begin a brawl in Emma’s house and end up breaking furniture or each other’s limbs.

‘You mentioned that they want to destroy our happy endings,’ declared Belle, bringing the two women back on topic. ‘How do they hope to do that?’

‘Well, we don’t know.’ Mary Margaret shook her head. ‘We need to find out what they’re doing, what they’re planning on doing. David and I’ve been thinking that we need someone to go undercover with them, someone they believe to be a villain.’

‘But,’ David added with a sigh, ‘we’re fresh out of reformed villains. We don’t have any idea how long it will be before Regina returns, and by then it could already be too late.’

‘Yes, that seems to be our problem now,’ declared Mulan, her own sigh escaping her.

Ruby offered an artificial smile, ‘I _love_ how we’re all just ignoring the fact that they shoved Maleficent’s egg into a hole before the kid even had the chance to hatch.’

‘Quiet, Ruby,’ instructed Mulan. ‘The adults are thinking.’

‘I can do it.’

Everyone’s gaze turned towards Zelena. The witch stood in the kitchen with an ice cream tub of Rocky Road in her grasp, having just taken out the spoon from her mouth.

A sigh escaped Mulan, ‘I thought I told you to stay upstairs? You’re supposed to be on bedrest.’

‘I got hungry,’ shrugged Zelena in a bored manner. ‘Not to mention, the Netflix isn’t working in the room anymore. I may or may not have thrown the remote through the telly because of a particular scene of _Rizzoli & Isles_, but if Emma asks, you dare not mention it.’

Ignoring the matter regarding the broken television, Ruby crossed her arms over her chest, 

‘Your plan, regarding the whole undercover thing, has a one teeny, tiny problem.’

‘Oh?’ The witch rose an eyebrow as she lifted another spoon filled with ice cream to her mouth. ‘What would that be?’ she questioned around the dessert.

‘We don’t trust you,’ declared David, rising to his feet with a scowl. ‘You killed Neal, and you tried to do the same to our son.’

‘At least I didn’t force my child to have only one path to choose from by taking the darkness in her and shoving it into another, then in the same breath tossing that child into an abyss, never to return from.’

Charming fell silent as he sat down once again in defeat, knowing that he had no way to argue with the woman on that point.

Zelena took a deep breath, ‘Look, Rumplestiltskin did a lot of harm to me and I’d like to wring his scrawny neck for him. However, I’m told that the savior’s already beaten me to the punch. I think I owe at least a minimal amount of gratitude towards you lot for not leaving me down in that hole for the rest of my life. The only way that I can repay that debt in a way that is entertaining is by stabbing three witches in the back.’

‘You’re still injured,’ Mulan pointed out, concern gracing her beautifully hardened features.

‘Then take the cuff off,’ Zelena pointed out. ‘I’m not going to go AWOL, mostly since I can’t stand any of two those tactless morons, nor Maleficent’s smug nature about having her revenge twice over. You need them gone and I need some entertainment. When the missions over you may put the cuff back on if you like. As long as I get to keep eating ice cream and watch television, I’m all for it.’

‘I hate to say it,’ sighed Mary Margaret. ‘But I don’t think we have a choice.’

‘Unfortunately, no,’ agreed Belle with a sigh.

Ruby gave a laugh, ‘Clearly, you’ve all gone mad. I will be the first to say "I told you so" when this goes to hell.’

**_Enchanted Forest, Motunui_ **

To say that Emma’s quest for knowledge and answers proved to be less that fruitful, was an understatement. Not only did she amount to absolutely nothing she had triggered half of the traps in the catacombs of the island. Emma was now highly aware of the fact that a giant axe could knock her out for an hour straight, but apparently it could pierce her skin given the right amount of speed.

Injuries healed and tail between her legs, Emma had returned to the hut without her dignity intact. Though instead of finding her lover still blissfully asleep, Regina was not only dressed but wide awake and enraged with the returning blonde.

Emma knew that look in the woman’s eyes. It meant death and destruction for its recipient.

The blonde winced as she slipped off her travel pack, allowing the candles inside the hut to spark to life as she slowly made her way towards the glaring woman.

How one managed to shack a beautiful woman and piss her off directly afterwards in the span of a few hours was clearly something that only Emma Swan could manage. Where was Happy’s famous catchphrase:

_Emma, I think you might really be an idiot!_

‘I never knew that I was so terrible in bed that a lover had to _sneak_ out of the bedroom because they couldn’t stand to spend a moment longer in my presence, then _sneak_ back in so that I would remain blissfully unaware just so that they can keep up the ruse in order to sleep with me again for the sake of getting off.’

Emma’s eyes widened in shock as she plopped down in front of Regina with crossed legs. ‘Well, that escalated quickly. Don’t you think you’re blowing it a little out of proportion? I mean, did you hear the kind of things I said when we—’

‘What am I _supposed_ to think?’ The sorceress snapped furiously. She was mindful to keep her voice low, lest she wanted to wake the rest of the village. ‘I wake up; naked and alone. After what I thought was a lovely evening of intimacy. You were gone for over three hours and I’m running all kind of scenarios through my mind—’

‘Hey!’ Emma grabbed Regina by her shoulders as she moved onto her knees. ‘Hey, calm down, will you? I’ll explain, but I can’t get two words in with how upset you are.’

‘Upset?’ Regina hissed, shoving against the blonde. ‘I’m furious. Insulted! The English vocabulary does not even begin to describe what I am feeling right now and worst of all, I am hurt. You know of my past experience with lovers, and then you disappear into the night like you have somewhere better to be than with me.’

‘I _don’t_ have somewhere better to be,’ growled the blonde, the fire in her stomach upset with being questioned where her loyalties lay. 

Though she kept it quelled for the very reason of being in the wrong. She knew that she had made the mistake and that she was the one that was going to have to fix it. 

‘Then you better have an _excellent_ explanation as to why you would run off in the middle of the night after I just gave myself to you!’ Regina growled, hauling her hand back and delivering a controlled but stinging slap to Emma’s cheek.

The blonde sighed and released the sorceress. She couldn’t look the woman in the eyes because she knew that tears stung her russet orbs. Emma also knew that they were there because of her actions. 

Unintentionally, the dragon had hurt her mate and the knowledge tore her up inside.

‘I’m sorry,’ whispered Emma, expressing her pain through her facial expressions. ‘I—I had a dream... and I... I thought... It seemed so real, and I thought that it could be something that would come to pass. So, I—I went to the island’s archives for some answers...’

Witnessing the way that Emma was berating herself, the sorceress’s resolve began to crumble. Regina’s hard gaze began to soften as she stared at the regretful form before her. She swallowed thickly.

‘Did you at least discover something of use?’ Regina questioned, curiosity momentarily peeked.

Emma shook her head, keeping her eyes low, ‘No. I... you looked so peaceful, and I didn’t want to bother you because of my stupid hunch. I’m sorry, 'Gina.’

Regina wondered how many times she was going to curse herself for becoming soft in the years to come. Though, tonight she didn’t care as she drew Emma safely into her arms. The dragon fitted against her as though she had always belonged there and it made Regina feel more whole than she had moments ago.

‘Well,’ whispered the sorceress into the blonde’s hair. ‘Next time, wake me, you imbecile. You gave me a fright. I thought that—’

Emma sighed into the sorceress’s shoulder, ‘I know. I’m sorry. I loved every second, every touch of you I had. I love you; never doubt that.’

Regina smiled against Emma’s ear. ‘And I you, dear.’


	9. Zelena Goes Undercover. What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know.
> 
> I haven’t posted in a while.
> 
> What a dick move, am I right?
> 
> I haven’t abandoned this story, I can reassure you on that, and I am going to catch up on writing over my break. I’ve been dealing with some stuff and thus it’s given me major writer’s block.
> 
> Though, I’m getting back on track so chapters should be frequent again. (I hope).
> 
> Enjoy!

Dawn had broken out over the small island of Motunui, and our heroes had long since been packed and ready to set out in their journey, even if their eyes drooped and their bodies betrayed them with a few yawns here and there.

Goodbyes were offered from those who had been required to be awake that morning whilst others had helped them to load their things into the sailboat. Food and fresh water was also provided for the journey ahead and no one was more thankful than Emma and Happy, reaching the point where tears of joy ran over their cheeks as they stared at the preserved fishes, fruits and vegetables.

The least fussy of all the travelers appeared to be Senna, passing between Emma and Regina as they clothed her, fed her and changed her diaper in between all the packing and loading of the sailboat. The two seemed to gain a new rhythm of doing things, as though they knew what the other needed and wanted before they could even say it out loud. 

Henry picked up on this — the almost shy smiled shared between each other, the way that their eyes lingered on one another. It confused him to say the least, but he enjoyed seeing his mothers so happy. He definitely preferred them to be all mushy and domestic over the months that his mother gave Emma the silent treatment and then the month that followed after.

‘How long have they been together?’

The young brunet nearly jumped into the sailboat when Moana suddenly spoke next to him. He hadn’t expected someone to suddenly pull him from his thoughts so quickly. He looked to what she was referring. His attention was caught by Emma trading Senna off to Regina, pressing a loving kiss to his mother’s cheek. The dragon then proceeded to lift two large barrels of food onto their boat without even straining against the additional weight.

Happy was still chasing after Oliana, in a matter of speaking. The female exceed held a paw out against his head as he tried to give her a fish whilst she spoke to one of the tribeswomen. 

‘Well, uh, about two months now, I think,’ Henry shrugged, returning to fastening some knots on their mode of transformation just like Emma had showed him. ‘They’ve been a lot happier since then.’

‘Oh, I’ll bet,’ Moana snickered, moving to help her friend by taking on the next set of knots. ‘Regina was all Emma ever talked about. Not at first, but when she had learned to trust me she couldn’t shut up about the sorceress with russet eyes.’

Henry turned towards his friend, sparing another glance in his ma’s direction as she leapt onto the sailboat and began to load the barrels into the hold. 

‘Really?’ he heard himself ask, unable to hide his curiosity.

‘Yeah.’ Moana nodded, a soft smile gracing her lips. ‘Their tale is as old as time. No one could ever possess Emma’s heart because it always belonged to another. She was the most unobtainable person wherever she went throughout history. There’s actually a song written about Emma’s love for Regina.’

‘What?’ Henry’s eyebrows rose into his hairline. ‘Really?’

‘Oh, yeah.’ Moana tightened her knots as best she could. ‘We went to a tavern once... _huff huff_... the song began to play and Emma became really quiet. When it was over she stood up and left the tavern. Happy told Oliana and I that it was best if we left her alone for the rest of the evening.’

Henry stared back to where Emma was now smiling sheepishly at Regina as she rubbed the back of her neck. His mother was staring at her with a mock scowl as though the blonde had once again done something foolish.

‘Wow... I... I hadn’t realized how much Ma cares for my Mom.’ Henry frowned slightly in thought, his hands slipping from the rope. ‘I know that they are True Loves, but... well... I guess it just somehow went right over my head...’

Moana smiled broadly as she looked up towards the couple, ‘It’s so sweet that they’re finally together now. They get to go on this whole new adventure with their son and daughter too.’

‘Oh, Senna isn’t Mom’s,’ Henry said. ‘Well, biologically we’re both not, but...’

The chieftain frowned and turned back towards her friend, ‘But I thought—’

‘They only got together, like, after Senna was born. Senna’s other biological parent is a goddess, Eris.’ Henry explained without batting an eye.

Moana’s eyes widened in horror, ‘Senna’s a demigod? As in, half human, half god?’

Henry shrugged his shoulders, ‘Well, yeah. Though, I’m not sure, entirely, 'cause Ma’s a dragon now too and—’

A screeching sound filled the air, an octave so high that Henry covered his ears in pain followed by the others. Simultaneously he, Moana and his parents turned towards the sound. They could see a shape approaching from the top of the island’s large mountain, a shape traveling with speed far too great to catch with the naked eye. It landed on the beach, sand flying in all directions. When it finally came into a clear view one could clearly make out the outline of the draconid. It was roughly larger than the sailboat itself, moving its large head from side to side as it stared coincidently in Senna’s direction. It snapped its jaw, then gave another loud shriek.

Henry could hear some of the villagers whispering that the beast was a _shrieker_ , and whilst he didn’t know what that was he could tell by the fear in their tones that this creature wasn’t something to toy with.

‘What the _hell_ is that thing?!’ Regina whispered frantically, not taking her eyes off the draconid. 

‘It’s a shrieker,’ Happy informed, flying over to Emma’s side. ‘It’s most likely caught onto Senna’s scent.’

‘You didn’t mask her scent?!’ Moana exclaimed frantically, shooting a look of disbelief over towards her friend. ‘You brought a demigod to my island without taking the necessary precautions?’

Emma growled, ‘Of course I did. But she’s a baby, it’s too early for her powers to manifest!’

‘What are you guys talking about?’ Henry questioned in confusion. ‘She’s a baby! Why would that thing want my sister?’

‘Demigods aren’t just any children,’ Oliana informed, moving to fly right next to Moana. ‘They give off their godly parent’s auras, making them detectable by monsters. However, they’re only supposed to give off this scent at the age of twelve, when their powers start to manifest.’

The shrieker’s sound carried out over the group, flapping its feathery wings. It barreled towards Regina, but Emma intercepted by grabbing it by its beak and by one of its large wing. 

‘Everyone!’ Moana exclaimed, turning towards the villagers. ‘To safety!’ 

The tribesmen and women didn’t waste any time. They barreled off in the direction of the village, no doubt to either come up with a backup plan or to simply abandon them to their own devices.

‘Henry, go with them,’ Moana ordered. ‘Take your mother with you.’

‘I’m not leaving Emma,’ Regina hissed, clutching a wailing Senna to her chest as she lit a fireball in her grasp. She didn’t dare to take her eyes off her lover as she and the large beast pushed against one another’s overpowering strength.

Henry set his jaw in determination, then reached for a sword attached to his travel pack inside the sailboat. He then ran up next to his mother. ‘I’m not leaving you guys either.’ 

Oliana released a sigh, light pink smoke enveloping her being. The exceed grew in size, now appearing like a sixteen-year-old rather than her small feline form. Her ears twitched as she got into a fighting stance next to Moana.

‘You’ve all gone mad,’ informed Oliana. ‘But it seems as we haven’t any choice now.’

Henry turned slightly towards Happy, noticing that the small creature had flown up into the air to be equal of height to the brunet. ‘Can you do that?’

‘Aye sir!’

Oliana rolled her eyes, ‘Happy.’

‘...No, sir.’

**_Storybrooke, Granny’s diner—Recent Past_ **

It was no secret that Zelena despised her sister, and that she was jealous of her given that their mother had chosen to keep her. However, she’d caught a glimpse of what it had been like with Rumplestiltskin. He showed no mercy and he would definitely be ever so selfish to keep death from one to endure the suffering. 

What she had endured during her time with Rumplestiltskin had changed the redhead. It was like a switch that had been flipped on. She didn’t want to end up like the man. Zelena didn’t want to be remembered as someone who had only caused pain, suffering and other unspeakable acts of cruelty. She wanted a happy ending too, one that didn’t involve killing or hurting others in order to obtain it.

So, there she was, dressed in black and striding confidently down the sidewalk towards the diner with magic coursing through her veins. It felt thrilling to have her power back in her grasp, to have some sort of way to protect herself in case anyone wanted to harm her.

The witch waved her hand and strode into the diner, spotting the Queen’s of Darkness in an instant. The rest of the diner was completely empty given that no one wanted to stand in the way of a witch, a goddess and a dragon. Especially not when they possessed the power to wipe anyone from their view with a snap of their fingers.

‘So...’ drawled Zelena, placing her hands onto her hips, ‘the rumors are true. The beastie has come out to play... and back from the dead no less.’

The three women stared in shock at the witch, then shared the same look with one another. Maleficent rose to her feet, her eyes now never leaving Zelena as she walked closer towards the redhead.

‘Zelena?’ the dragon questioned. ‘I had heard that you were—’

‘Dead?’ Zelena rose a playful eyebrow. ‘Oh, yes, well, it didn’t stick. You are living, breathing proof that death can not hold down those who have a yearning for revenge.’ The witch smirked, taking a sauntering step closer, ‘It’s good to see you, Mal. It truly is.’

Maleficent stared at the witch with a watchful eye, her keen senses trying to inspect every inch of the woman. ‘I can say the same, Z. How long has it been?’

‘Oh, a few decades,’ Zelena shrugged. ‘I had my own taste of cold, sweet revenge, you know. So, a lot has happened in the time since we had last seen each other.’

‘What do you want, Zelena?’ Ursula questioned, curiosity reaching its peak. 

‘Oh, I’d thought it was obvious, but it’s quite clear that you’re not the brains of this operation, Ms. Sharkbait.’

The goddess huffed indignantly, but remained seated as she narrowed her eyes towards Zelena.

‘I want in on... whatever it is you lot are planning,’ Zelena explained, turning her head back to Maleficent. ‘And if I know Mal, which I do, it’s going to be positively glorious.’

‘Why?’ Cruella questioned, narrowing her eyes. ‘What do you have to gain from all of this?’

Zelena scoffed, rolling her eyes. ‘If you have to ask, then you are just as dull as I had thought you to be. I want a happy ending as well, and the only way to obtain that is if I burn everything to the ground that my sister has worked so hard to obtain and build. I want them all to suffer for casting me aside like some worthless wretch.’

Maleficent smiled in satisfaction and with a wave of her hand she held a glass of alcohol out towards Zelena. ‘Welcome to the club then, Z.’

The witch smirked, accepting the extension of friendship. She took the glass and downed the contents, then proceeded to crush the item in her grasp. ‘Thanks, Mal.’

**_Enchanted Forest, Endless Ocean_ **

A sigh escapes Regina as she settled Senna against a blissfully unaware Emma Swan. The dragon had long since been rendered unconscious; a kindness rather than a curse in order to help with the woman’s unspeakably, horrible motion sickness. 

The shrieker had been quite the challenge, especially given the fact that Regina only had one hand to fight with as she held onto Senna with the other. She and the small infant were the only ones to escape without injury. 

Emma and Moana had talon marks across their torsos, the shrieker powerful enough to pierce dragon skin. Happy and Oliana had a few scrapes of their own. Henry, who had received the worst of it given how many times the draconid had swept his feet out from under him, had cuts that ran far too deep for Regina to be able to heal it right away. Happy and Oliana had already helped stitch the young boy, and he had only smirked with pride.

It seemed as Regina would never obtain the normal life that she still yearned for since the curse had been broken. Henry had gotten a taste of adventure and danger, and whilst Regina wanted to quite literally drown herself after how much worry she had gone through in the brief but life threatening confrontation with the shrieker, she could tell that her and Emma’s son had loved every second of it.

‘Her motion sickness still that bad, huh?’ 

Regina turned her head away from her two loves and focused her attention on the young chief. Moana smiled softly at the older woman and took a seat down in front of her.

‘Oh, I suppose so,’ Regina sighed, glancing between Emma and Moana. ‘She can’t even think about anything that moves or she loses all self-control.’

Moana snickered, amused by her friend’s misfortune, ‘Yeah, she wasn’t always like that. Only when she became really powerful was when the motion sickness began to manifest. Boats and carriages used to be a breeze for her, me too. Now, I’d rather be eaten by a chimera than set foot on those accursed wheels.’

‘You don’t seem to have a problem with boats,’ Regina pointed out with a raised eyebrow. ‘Why is that?’

Moana shrugged, glancing out towards the ocean, ‘Well, that’s because the ocean is my friend just like Oliana. I don’t see them as moving transportation.’

Regina smiled, thinking back to what Happy had said when they had first landed on Motunui, that this motion sickness was all in their minds. She kept the thought to herself, however, glancing back to her daughter and girlfriend, admiring how they both belonged to her and she to them. Regina’s heart simply swelled with love and pride.

‘Emma stopped me from killing my parents' murderer,’ declared Moana suddenly, causing Regina’s head to turn towards her once again. The Polynesian, however, had now refocused her attention on the two slumbering figures. ‘It’s how we met.’

‘Oh...’ Regina frowned. ‘I’m sorry.’

‘It’s okay,’ Moana shrugged. ‘I was only eight, and well, I couldn’t truly see past anything other than the overwhelming pain. Maui was really supportive and angry on my part, but he could barely take care of himself let alone raise a kid who’d just been orphaned. Emma... well... she just seemed to understand. She’s been my hero ever since.’

‘Mm,’ Regina hummed. ‘She seems to always be saving someone or something. It’s just who she is.’

‘Yeah, she’s... well, I just wanted to let you know how much she loves you. She always talked about you, you know. About how you’d given her and Henry a happy ending, and how you were the very first person to believe that she had great potential as a sorceress.’

The sixteen-year-old’s words both shocked and filled Regina with a warmth that she couldn’t even begin to describe. She had often thought that Emma had fled to the Enchanted Forest in an effort to forget her, that she had fled into the comfort of Eris’s arms in order to wipe Regina from her mind completely. Now, even if she knew that Emma couldn’t accomplish that task, Regina learns that the blonde hadn’t even tried.

‘She was the first person to believe that I could truly change,’ Regina found herself admitting. ‘Granted, my mother had done a marvelous job of tearing that faith into small pieces, but after... well I did it all on my own. I hurt her so much, too, and well, I’ve never really forgiven myself. It makes me wonder if I truly deserve my happy ending. If I truly deserve her.’

‘Well, Emma’s crazy about you,’ smiled Moana. ‘That’s already a pretty good sign that you deserve happiness. If she thinks you’re a good person, then trust me, you don’t have to worry about anything.’

Despite herself, Regina smiled sadly. She reached forward and tucked a few stray hairs out of Emma’s face as she snored on pleasantly. 

She couldn’t help but think their faith was misplaced.

**_Storybrooke, Outside Granny’s Diner_ **

Never before had Mulan seen an undercover operation go south so quickly and in such a destructive manner. She had never thought that it would all go to the Underworld, dooming their plans of salvation before they even had the chance to properly try and carry it out.

Zelena had yet to check in. She was late by a complete hour and a half now. 

There were two options now. Either, Zelena had gone to the dark side, betraying and essentially dooming them all, or she was in trouble and they had no way of knowing. Mulan knew what kind of mindset the redhead was in. She was fragile and somewhat damaged even if she knew how to hide it well. Mulan was a war hero and hadn’t managed to be left unscathed, so she knew exactly what Zelena was going through. She hadn’t the slightest of clues how the redhead thought she was ready to face of against three Queens of Darkness let alone manage to fool them that she wanted to be on their side.

Mulan wasn’t one to panic, she always kept herself as calm as she possibly could. However, she somehow felt responsible for the woman. Her care and wellbeing had been entrusted to the warrior and then the next day she was practically offering her up to the wolves, no doubt to be torn to shreds in a matter of seconds.

Ruby stepped out of the diner, a look of annoyance over her features as she made her way down the steps. They met each other halfway, Mulan having just arrived after scouring half the city as best she could under the circumstances.

All that the warrior had managed to learn was that the townspeople weren’t thrilled to learn that Zelena was alive and on the side of the Queens of Darkness.

‘Anything?’ Mulan questioned, face expressionless but worry in her voice.

‘A burnt table, broken bottles,’ Ruby held out an arm to keep the warrior from entering the diner, ‘And my pissed off Granny. She nearly put an arrow through me, so I wouldn’t go in there if I was even paid to do so. Apparently, the witches drank the place dry. I’d say Zelena’s won them over or we’re all totally fucked.’

‘ _Or_ Zelena’s the one in trouble,’ countered Mulan.

Ruby stared at her friend with a considering frown, ‘You’re actually worried about Zelena. Why is that?’

‘I just...’ Mulan sighed, placing her hands onto her hips. ‘I understand her, is all. I’ve been through what she has and... it changes a person. I feel responsible for her somehow.’

‘In the war...’ Ruby’s frown deepened as she crossed her arms over her chest. ‘You were—’

‘Yes,’ Mulan nodded curtly. ‘May we please just move on now. Preferably find Zelena before something horrible happens, if it hasn’t already.’

‘Look, we don’t even know what’s happened, and—’

‘That’s precisely what worries me,’ Mulan growled. ‘We can’t find her anywhere. Not in Regina’s office or home, or at Emma’s house. David and Mary Margaret are searching Regina’s vault, but...’

‘And you’re thinking the worst?’

‘I can’t help but think, if the undercover operation has been successful, if she’s not been seduced by the darkness once more, then why isn’t she back yet?’

* * *

‘Maybe this was a bad idea,’ Mary Margaret declared, staring with concern out the truck’s window. 

So far, they’ve found little trace of Zelena or the other witches and their worry has only quadrupled in size. Either, they now have four Queens of Darkness to worry about, or they’ve just killed Zelena before she even had the chance to change herself for the better.

‘If something happened to Zelena—’

‘No,’ David cut her off, shaking his head firmly. ‘She’ll be fine. She can take care of herself.’

Mary Margaret’s eyes widened suddenly as she pointed out the front window, ‘David, look!’

The prince brought the truck to an abrupt stop just before they raced out of the vehicle. Just a few paces off the road, they found themselves staring at a smoldering police cruiser, at least the remains of what once had been just that.

‘That’s one of my sheriff’s cars,’ David declared with wide eyes. ‘What the hell happened?’

‘Maleficent happened.’

The Charming’s turned to come eye-to-eye with none other than Zelena. The witch looked rather worse for wear, pale and tired from the evening’s events.

The redhead uncrossed her arms momentarily and motioned towards the cruiser, ‘And that was her idea of a good time.’ Zelena shrugged crossing her arms over her chest once more. ‘Granted, it’s mine as well, but I’m supposed to be working towards being a boring human being... or is it better?’

‘Zelena...’ Mary Margaret hesitated, glancing over the witch’s body. ‘Are you okay? What happened last night?’

‘Oh, an initiation of sorts,’ informed the redhead nonchalantly. ‘There was a lot of drinking, burning and perhaps some mild destruction.’

‘ _Mild destruction_ ,’ David scoffed. ‘Have you even seen the cruiser and half the town?’

‘I’d apologize, but this was your idea,’ Zelena deadpanned. ‘And you really shouldn’t be here. If you want to meet, then we must do so covertly. You’re risking my cover as it is.’

‘Next time?’ David growled impatiently. ‘You didn’t find out what they’re planning?’

‘Oh, don’t get your knickers in a twist,’ Zelena spat, placing her hands onto her hips. ‘It was one night! What’s important is that I established trust. If you’d rather have done it yourself, I would have been all for it. I was just fine on my couch with Netflix and Rocky Road.’

‘No, you’re right.’ Mary Margaret gave her husband a warning look. ‘We are grateful, Zelena.’

The witch regarded them carefully, then opened her mouth, ‘I did, however, discover that they’re hiding something, something incredibly powerful.’

‘Well, what is it?’ Mary Margaret questioned.

‘Beats me. Now, begone. Last time, I had to come to Maleficent. This time, she’ll come to me.’


End file.
